Cruise News from Cruise Diva's Cruise Planner

Azamara to 'Journey' Through a Dreamy Caribbean

MIAMI, April 30 -- When travelers sail the Caribbean on an Azamara Cruises ship, they enjoy indulgent onboard experiences, spectacular blue waters and an exotic array of islands, islets, reefs and cays. Azamara aims to offer all that and more with its lineup of itineraries in the region in late 2009 and early 2010, which opened for sale today.

Azamara Journey, the 694-guest ship that underwent a $19-million makeover before its 2007 launch, will sail through the Caribbean and Panama Canal from December 2009 through mid-April 2010, visiting 23 ports in 15 countries. The season's highlights include:

-- First-time calls at Castries, St. Lucia; Willemstad, Curacao; and San Diego, California. Azamara Journey also will anchor off of the 7-mile island of Bequia, The Grenadines, a favorite port of call for yachts and small cruise ships because of its unspoiled, quaint atmosphere and attractions such as Princess Margaret Beach, the unique cliffside dwellings at Moonhole, and Oldhegg Turtle Sanctuary.
-- San Diego instead of Los Angeles as the turnaround port for two 16-night Panama Canal sailings, one westbound from Miami departing on December 18, 2009, and one eastbound to Miami departing on January 3, 2010. Between the two Panama Canal sailings, Azamara Journey will call at Port Antonio, Jamaica; Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Willemstad, Curacao; and Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and Huatulco, Mexico.
-- A new 10-night Easter voyage sailing roundtrip out of Miami on April 1, 2010, calling at St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands; Marigot, St. Martin; Roseau, Dominica; Basseterre, St. Kitts, and Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands.
-- A rotation of three different 12-night Caribbean itineraries out of Miami from January through March 2010, each featuring a balance between exotic beach-intensive, shopping-intensive and nature-intensive ports. These include Bequia; Castries; Roseau, Dominica; St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; Falmouth, Antigua; Fort de France, Martinique; Gustavia, St. Barts; Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe; and others.

In each port of call in its Caribbean/Panama Canal lineup, Azamara will offer travelers a range of immersive shore excursions, many of which are "off the beaten path." Examples include:

-- "Jewels of the Monteverde Cloud Forest" in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, during which guests can gaze upon the Monteverde Cloud Forest from the suspended bridges that cross the treetop canopy.
-- "Baths and Spring Bay Exploration" in Virgin Gorda, BVI, which includes a visit to the unusual geologic formation known as The Baths as well as the opportunity to swim, snorkel, hike or relax.
-- "Best of Dominica" in Roseau, Dominica, which transports travelers to Morne Trois Pitons National Park, where they can explore stunning botanical gardens and hike to the tropical-plant-and-waterfall grotto known as the Emerald Pool.
-- "Mexican Cooking Experience" in Huatulco, Mexico, where guests learn to prepare Mexican classic dishes such as tortillas, enchiladas, stuffed chilies or Oaxaca chicken stew, before dining on their culinary creation.
-- "Historical Plantation Ruins of St. John" in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a historical and cultural island tour of St. John led by a local expert in the country's history.

Azamara Cruises' deluxe ships--Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest--offer an intimate experience, while allowing access to exotic destinations experienced travelers long to reach. For the 694 guests on each Azamara Cruises ship, every moment at sea embodies the pinnacle of luxury, and each footstep on shore accentuates the difference between visiting a place and getting a true sense of place. This year, Azamara Cruises presents the best of enchanting Europe, elite Asia, and the most captivating Caribbean and the Panama Canal. The line also offers unique cruisetours in Europe. For more information, call 1-877-999-9553, or visit www.azamaracruises.com.

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Two Princess Ships to be Remodeled with Line's Latest Signature Features

SANTA CLARITA, CA, April 30 - Two Princess ships will be remodeled to incorporate a number of the most popular amenities that have become passenger favorites on the line's newer ships. The upcoming makeovers of Star Princess and Caribbean Princess will include a transformation of the Deck 5 atrium into the inviting piazza-style street café currently found on Crown Princess and Emerald Princess; plus will add the company's signature adults-only Sanctuary and showplace Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant, along with a more centrally located casino and seven new suites. Star Princess will receive these new features during her September drydock in San Francisco and Caribbean Princess will follow in January 2009.

The ships' updated atriums will not only feature the specialty coffees, freshly baked goods, paninis and tapas of the International Café, but will also introduce an expanded Vines wine bar concept, which will now include rare vintage wines, a selection of artisan meats and cheeses, plus a wine shop where passengers can purchase their favorite bottle. In addition, passengers will be able to relax in the tranquility of The Sanctuary, Princess' signature adults-only retreat, featuring plush padded lounge chairs and the services of dedicated Serenity Stewards. The ships will also replace their current steakhouse with the Crown Grill restaurant featuring an open show kitchen where passengers can enjoy watching as chefs prepare chops, steaks and seafood, including live lobsters. 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."

To make room for the new features, passengers may find that some of their favorite areas have been relocated. In addition to the casino, the sports court, Internet Café and wedding chapel are also among the spaces that will be moved in the renovation process.

The new features passengers will find aboard these vessels include:

The Piazza - This piazza-style atrium has been a popular area on the new ships, with its sidewalk café feel and casual dining options. The ships will offer this lively area on Deck 5, designed to be the bustling hub of the ship with a street café atmosphere, featuring live music and entertainers throughout the day and evening. With Italian-inspired décor, this charming area serves as an inviting venue throughout the day for passengers seeking a more casual dining option. Within this space, passengers can relax over coffee and pastries at the International Café or a glass of wine at Vines, or keep in touch with home at the Internet Café.

Vines - The expanded Vines concept features a wine bar serving a selection of rare and unique new- and old-world vintage wines along with gourmet delicacies. Here passengers can enjoy an assortment of fine wines by the glass, wine flights, a wine shop and a walk-in glass artisan cheese and cured meat humidor. Designed to resemble a wine cellar, the venue hosts unique wine tasting sessions, while the chef makes special appearances to pair selections with some of the world's most desirable artisan cheeses. Food-lovers can also sample a daily selection of sushi, sashimi, antipasti or ceviche. A signature feature in Vines, wine lovers will have the opportunity to sample a Swiss specialty, Raclette, a traditional melted cheese dish. The Vines shop offers an extensive collection of hard-to-find wines available for purchase, as well as Princess-branded favorites such as extra virgin olive oil, aged Italian balsamic vinegar and a selection of related gift items.

International Café - Serving up a variety of tasty options throughout the day, the International Café features an ever-changing array of quick bites and light meal choices. In the morning, passengers will be attracted by the aroma of freshly baked croissants, Danish pastries and beignets; while in the afternoon the Café serves grilled-to-order paninis, quiches and salads. At dinnertime passengers can stop by for tapas or dessert - including the popular chocolate fondue. Throughout the day, the café features the line's famous fresh-baked cookies, and coffee lovers can also select from a variety of specialty coffee drinks and Revolution teas.

The Sanctuary - The adults-only "pocket of tranquility" that has been so popular on Crown Princess and Emerald Princess, will be added to the uppermost forward deck of the ship, which currently houses the ships' sports court. The Sanctuary offers a relaxing alternative to the myriad activities available throughout the ship. Solitude seekers will be able to escape completely to this plush, outdoor spa-inspired setting with refreshing beverages and healthy fare, massages, relaxing personal entertainment and attentive service from the area's Serenity Stewards.

Crown Grill - The ships will trade their Sterling Steakhouse restaurants for a Crown Grill premium seafood and chop house concept as found on Crown Princess and Emerald Princess. This showplace restaurant entertains passengers with an open, theater-style kitchen where chefs custom-prepare steamed shellfish - such as lobster, scallops, clams and mussels - and cooked-to-order steaks and chops. Passengers can choose to sit at the kitchen's eat-up counter and watch the show as they dine.

Suites - Seven new oceanview suites will be added on deck six, offering additional options for passengers who enjoy the luxury and amenities that come with Princess' most spacious accommodations.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.

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Holland America Line & the Port of Seattle Partner to Help Area Charities

SEATTLE, April 29 -- Holland America Line and the Port of Seattle have announced Ship to Shelter, an innovative new community-giving program that is the first of its kind in the nation. Holland America Line will collect valuable and reusable goods from their ships sailing from Seattle this summer, and donate them to Seattle area charities serving people in need.

The Port of Seattle, partnering with United States Customs and Border Protection, Cruise Terminals of America and Northwest Harvest, will work with the Seattle-based cruise line to donate items from the ships weekly and the goods will be distributed to shelters and homeless programs throughout Washington State.

In addition to the weekly donations of individual-sized toiletries, Holland America Line will periodically provide items such as towels, linens, dishes, cookware, silverware, televisions and mattresses.

"Giving back is part of the corporate culture at Holland America Line and it is part of our corporate social responsibility," said Stein Kruse, president and chief executive officer. "Over the years Holland America has worked with non-profits around the world to donate reusable goods in a socially conscious, environmentally friendly method. These items are periodically replaced on our ships and can be put to use for a good cause."

The program kicks off April 29 with ms Oosterdam, which will be docked at Pier 30, providing hundreds of items to Northwest Harvest, where they will be stored and then distributed to needy individuals and families. Each week, a Holland America Line ship will be in port to donate items. On May 16, ms Amsterdam will provide toiletries as well as dishes, 150 cooking knives and 300 sheet pans. Mike Regis, Procurement and Outreach Director, Northwest Harvest, said, "The missions and shelters will be incredibly grateful to receive these items as they are very difficult to come by and not something we see in the donation stream very often."

Holland America Line will continue to donate other items from various Seattle-based ships sailing to Alaska from May through September, helping Northwest Harvest provide very basic but much needed necessities to shelters throughout the state.

The Ship to Shelter pilot program incorporates strategic partnerships between the Port of Seattle, Northwest Harvest and Holland America Line to provide valuable goods that are no longer needed on cruise ships for reuse by needy individuals as well as providing an environmentally positive solid waste solution.

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John Lithgow to Perform Aboard Silver Whisper

Ft. Lauderdale, FL, April 29 -- Silversea Cruises' Silver Whisper will welcome award-winning actor John Lithgow as a celebrity guest speaker aboard its July 5 voyage from Athens to Venice. Guests will be treated to a portion of Lithgow's new one-man show, Stories by Heart, now playing a limited engagement at Lincoln Center's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater in New York. The show is a comic meditation on the art and essence of storytelling. Invoking memories of his grandmother and father before him, Lithgow traces his own history as an actor and storyteller, a history spanning three generations.

"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."

A theater actor at heart, Lithgow won the first of two Tony Awards three weeks after his Broadway debut, in David Storey's The Changing Room. He went on to make a major mark in films with Oscar nominations for his performances in The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment. 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 for what is perhaps his most celebrated creation--the loopy character of the alien High Commander, Dick Solomon, on the hit NBC comedy series 3rd Rock from the Sun.

The July 5 cruise aboard the all-suite, 382-guest Silver Whisper departs from Athens for Kalamata, Argostoli, Kotor, Dubrovnik, and Split, with an overnight stay in Venice.
For more information on Silversea Cruises, please contact a travel agent; for a complimentary brochure, please call toll-free (877) 215-9986 or visit www.silversea.com.

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Ambassadors Intl, Inc. Announces Plans to Sell Majestic America Line

NEWPORT BEACH, CA, April 29 -- Joe Ueberroth, Chairman and CEO of Ambassadors International, Inc., stated, "We are committed to operating the 2008 season of Majestic America Line while conducting our exit of the business in an orderly and effective manner. Several credible parties have expressed a sincere interest in acquiring some and/or all the assets of Majestic America Line and building upon the efforts and investments we have made in delivering unique cruise experiences that celebrate American history, culture and our magnificent waterways. In addition, our decision to exit Majestic America Line enables us to focus our efforts and investments on the successes of Windstar Cruises. Our dedicated American crew remain committed to providing our customers with extraordinary cruises and key vendors and business partners are working with us to ensure a smooth transition."

Ambassadors International, Inc. has a conference call scheduled on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 to discuss the financial results for the first quarter of 2008 and at that time management will elaborate further on the decision to sell Majestic America Line.

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Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Galaxy to Become First Ship
in New TUI Cruises Fleet

MIAMI, April 29 -- Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Galaxy will become the first ship of TUI Cruises, a new cruise brand established through a joint venture between Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and TUI AG. TUI Cruises is designed for German-speaking guests seeking a contemporary/premium cruise experience. The onboard product will be custom-tailored to German tastes in food, entertainment and amenities.

Celebrity Galaxy will complete its scheduled sailings through the March 2, 2009, itinerary. It will enter service for TUI Cruises in May 2009 under a new name, and will sail in the Baltic in the summer season, and in the Caribbean in the winter.

"Celebrity Galaxy has been a treasured member of our family of ships since her maiden voyage in December 1996, and the outstanding crew onboard will continue to offer the service with style Celebrity is known for right up until the shift to TUI Cruises," said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. "We look forward to transitioning those fine shipboard colleagues to the balance of the Celebrity fleet as we grow the brand with our new Solstice class."

Celebrity Galaxy joined the Celebrity Cruises fleet in December 1996 and was built by Jos. L. Meyer GmbH & Co. of Papenburg, Germany. Celebrity invested $4-million in a series of upgrades on the ship this month, including new carpeting, upholstery and lighting in a variety of public spaces and staterooms. The 77,713 gross-registered-ton ship carries 1,870 guests (double occupancy) and 909 crew.

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Fodor's Complete Guide to European Cruising Designates Carnival Cruise Lines as 'Best Of Cruising' in Nine Categories

MIAMI, April 29 -- Carnival Cruise Lines--a relative newcomer in European cruising, entering the market just three years ago--is well represented in the recently published Fodor's Complete Guide to European Cruises, garnering nine "Best of Cruising" designations, more than double the number of any other cruise line.

Fodor's Complete Guide to European Cruises is an annual publication providing comprehensive overviews of all major cruise lines operating within the region, along with travel tips, detailed port-of-call information and other helpful content aimed at experienced and first-time cruisers alike.

Carnival's nine "Best of Cruising" awards include:
-- Best Regular Dining Room Cuisine
-- Best Specialty Restaurants
-- Best Cruise Line For Families
-- Best Regular Cabins
-- Best Beds
-- Best Entertainment At Sea
-- Best Sports and Fitness Centers
-- Best Shops on Board
-- Best Fun & Funky Activities

According to Carnival's Executive Vice President of Marketing and Guest Experience Ruben Rodriguez, Carnival's nine awards reflect many of the signature elements of a "Fun Ship" cruise -- outstanding dining, spacious and comfortable accommodations, modern spa and children's facilities, and fun- filled activities for guests of all ages, all of which add up to memorable vacations.

"Considering that Carnival has been sailing in Europe for just three years, it is indeed an honor to be named 'Best of Cruising' by Fodor's in so many different categories," Rodriguez said. "We pride ourselves on providing our guests with fun, high quality vacations--regardless of where our 'Fun Ships' are sailing--and this recognition is a wonderful validation of our efforts," he added.

"By providing the 'Best of Cruising' to readers, Fodor's identifies the cruise lines and ships that offer the highest quality in features sought by today's passengers. I'm pleased that Carnival Cruise Lines has consistently met and exceeded our expectations in nine 'Best of Cruising' categories," said Linda Coffman, who, along with veteran travel journalists Ralph Grizzle and Lindsay Bennett, serve as editors of Fodor's "Best of Cruising" section.

Carnival's entry into Europe began in 2005 with a series of cruises aboard Carnival Liberty and, over the past three years, the line has tripled its number of voyages within the region. This year, Carnival will deploy two ships in Europe for the first time, including its newest and largest ship, the 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor, which will launch the line's first-ever 12-day Northern Europe program. Joining the Carnival Splendor will be the Carnival Freedom, which will operate Carnival's popular Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey cruises. Carnival will deploy two ships to Europe in 2009, as well.

In addition to European cruises, Carnival operates three- to 18-day voyages to destinations such as the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, New England, the Panama Canal, Bermuda and South America aboard its 22-vessel fleet. For additional information and reservations on the "Fun Ship" vacation experience, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.

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Celebrity Cruises Gives 'Spring Cleaning' New Meaning

MIAMI, April 28 -- For many homeowners, "spring cleaning" can be an overwhelming chore. But just imagine if the effort involved replacing 2,707 square feet of tile, 9,843 square feet of carpeting, and 2,500 yards of fabric. Within just 17 days, Celebrity completed all that and more on Celebrity Summit during the ship's scheduled drydock period from April 11-27 at Blohm + Voss in Hamburg, Germany. The ship resumes its European season tomorrow, complete with a new 11,000-kilowatt diesel genset (dedicated electrical generation system), which reduces fuel consumption by generating electricity for the ship while in port.

Additionally, dance enthusiasts will find an entirely new floor in the ship's Rendezvous Lounge, shoppers can enjoy a completely renovated boutique gift shop area, and guests with attention to detail will notice freshly-varnished wood railings and newly-polished surfaces throughout the ship.

"We are constantly focused on the care and maintenance of our fleet, and evaluate the exterior and interior appearance of every ship, every day, to ensure we're consistently delivering the best guest experience," said Celebrity's Senior Vice President of Marine Operations, John Krousouloudis. Added Celebrity's Vice President of Hotel Operations, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, "We tend to be modest about talking about the work that takes place during scheduled drydocks, but it's a high priority, and a significant investment, because we know how important it is to guest satisfaction and our brand as a whole."

In 2007 alone, as part of its standard maintenance program, Celebrity Cruises invested more than $13 million across the fleet in bedding upgrades, new gym equipment in the fitness centers, marble polishing and repair, carpet replacement, new teak surfaces on several pool decks, varnishing of wood surfaces, revitalization of various gift shop areas, and new upholstery.

Celebrity's current fleet will be joined by Celebrity Solstice in 2008, Celebrity Equinox in 2009, Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, and a fourth Solstice-class ship in 2011. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.

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Regent Seven Seas Cruises Ships Meet in Bermuda

FORT LAUDERDALE, April 28 – Regent Seven Seas Cruises offered guests aboard the 700-guest all-suite, all-balcony ships Seven Seas Voyager® and Seven Seas Mariner® an extraordinary treat as the celebrated ultra-luxury ships docked side-by-side in Hamilton, Bermuda this past weekend. The dual docking marked a rare event for Regent Seven Seas and its guests. The line’s international itineraries seldom allow the ships to simultaneously travel the same regions of the world, let alone meet in the same port. Seven Seas Mariner is in the midst of a 12-night Bermuda cruise which departed roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale; Seven Seas Voyager is nearing the completion of a 17-day transatlantic voyage from Piraeus, Greece to Fort Lauderdale on the final leg of its World Cruise.

In honor of this extraordinary mid-voyage meeting, Regent Seven Seas hosted a dual-vessel, bloody mary cocktail party, welcoming guests to visit either ship for a historic celebration that began at 10 a.m. Saturday and lasted through the day. Although the Bermuda meeting was unusual, it is actually the Regent Seven Seas fleet’s third visit to this sunny archipelago this year. Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Voyager and 490-guest, all-suite Seven Seas Navigator all visited Bermuda in April. For full information on all 2008 and 2009 Regent Seven Seas voyages, please visit www.RSSC.com.

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New Extended Land Program Takes Crystal Guests to 'Wild Coast'

LOS ANGELES, April 28 -- Crystal Cruises announces a new post-cruise land program enabling guests to immerse themselves in the beauty and culture of Spain's Costa Brava, or "wild coast." Following Crystal Serenity's October 18 voyage from Rome to Barcelona, an optional four-night, five-day program offers historical, architectural and culinary enrichment in Barcelona and the Spanish countryside. In addition to five-star resort accommodations, highlights of the post-cruise program include:

-- The medieval city of Figueres, the birthplace of artist Salvador Dali, including a visit to the Dali Theater-Museum.
-- The Segrada Familia, the famed church and centerpiece of Barcelona designed by master architect Antonio Gaudi.
-- Besalu, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the region.
-- Girona, nicknamed the "City of a Thousand Sieges," as a result of being repeatedly invaded by numerous armies, including Napoleon's, over the centuries.
-- The castle of Perelada, which houses a fine restaurant, casino, glass and wine museums and a library of more than 80,000 antique books.
-- Gourmet dining at a 13th century farmhouse restaurant.

"We continue to respond to our guests' requests for shoreside opportunities in certain destinations," says John Stoll, Crystal's director of land programs. "We've had limited calls in Spain, but found that our guests really loved the Crystal Adventures in Spanish ports, so we have expanded our program there. We're always seeking to give our guests more of the experiences they love."

The five-day itinerary takes guests to Barcelona and through the Catalonian countryside, with luxury hotel accommodations at Hotel Alva Park Resort & Spa in Girona. The 12-day cruise prior calls in Rome, Naples and Sicily, Italy; Gibraltar, UK; Malaga, Cartagena, Valencia, Mallorca and Barcelona, Spain.

The Crystal Difference
Aboard the ultra-luxurious Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, refined elegance meets casual simplicity. With an emphasis on innovative product differentiation, the renowned Crystal experience is distinguished by classic service, abundant space, extensive choices and superior quality, providing worldwide vacations of seven to 100+ days that bridge the best of land and sea. For additional information and Crystal reservations, please contact a travel agent or call 888-799-4625. Visit the luxury line's website at www.crystalcruises.com.

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Active & Retired Military Personnel Can Book up to Three 'Fun Ship' Staterooms at Special Rates During Month of May

MIAMI, April 28 -- In honor of Memorial Day, Carnival Cruise Lines is offering active and retired military personnel an opportunity to book up to three "Fun Ship" staterooms for themselves and their friends and family members at special discounted rates. The new "Carnival Salutes Our Troops" promotion is available in conjunction with a wide variety of three- to 12-day "Fun Ship" voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii and Europe, departing between now and Dec. 31, 2009, from 20 different departure points. Reservations must be made between May 1-31, 2008, to qualify.

Military personnel and their friends and families can take advantage of the following special rates: $219 per person for three-day cruises to the Bahamas and Baja Mexico; $229 per person for four-day cruises to the Bahamas, Caribbean and Mexico; $279 per person for five-day cruises to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Mexico; $479 per person for seven-day cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska; and $829 per person for 12-day cruises to Hawaii and Europe. The promotion is valid for individual bookings only, capacity controlled and not applicable with any other discount offer. Military personnel must provide proof of service during the reservations process to be eligible for the special rates. Certain other restrictions apply.

"The new 'Carnival Salutes Our Troops' promotion is our way of recognizing the tremendous efforts of the brave men and women who serve in our armed forces," said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO.

For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.

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Holland America Line Plans Exciting New Cruises and Ports in 2009

SEATTLE, April 28 -- Holland America Line has announced its 2009 global deployment which includes nearly 500 cruises that visit all seven continents and more than 320 ports of call. A highlight of the 2009 plan will take place in the fall when the ms Oosterdam moves to South America as the first Vista-class ship in the Southern Hemisphere. This will increase the line's South America capacity by 32 percent in this popular market.

"We are thrilled to be introducing a Vista ship with more verandah staterooms in the growing South American market," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. "Our commitment to offering the most varied and intriguing destinations to our guests is unparalleled. In 2009 alone, we visit 20 new ports and introduce a number of new itinerary options."

Cruises, which sail from 35 home ports--11 in North America--range from two to 117 days in length.

Other 2009 Deployment Highlights
-- The first full year of sailings by 2,104-guest ms Eurodam, which enters service in 2008. The ship will offer itineraries in the Caribbean, Europe, and Canada/New England.
-- More than 20 new ports, including Cardiff, Wales; Kristiansund, Norway; Vaasa, Finland; Kiel, Germany; Batumi, Georgia; Maputo, Mozambique; Bonne Bay, Newfoundland; and Itajai, Brazil.
-- Four distinctive Grand Voyages aboard ms Rotterdam, ms Prinsendam and ms Amsterdam, ranging from a 50-day Mediterranean and Black Sea voyage to 117-day circumnavigation of the world.
-- Full Panama Canal transits in fall and winter aboard ms Statendam on 14- to 28-day cruises between Fort Lauderdale and San Diego.
-- Holland America Line will offer a total of 28 Mexico sailings including seven-day, nine and ten-day Sea of Cortez, 12-day in-depth Mexican Riviera itineraries, and an extensive 21-day Panamerica voyage to Mexico, the Panama Canal and Costa Rica.

South America & Antarctica
During the winter and spring season, Amsterdam embarks on six South America and Antarctica cruises ranging from 16 to 22 days and sailing from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Valparaiso, Chile. Amsterdam will also sail two 20-day cruises that venture farther south to Antarctica, sailing past stunning icescapes, volcanic Deception Island, Paradise Bay and Elephant Island. In November, Oosterdam will assume South America and Antarctica itineraries, including a 20-day holiday sailing for the first time aboard a Vista ship.

South America itineraries showcase intriguing cities such as Callao, Peru, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, and the scenery of Tierra del Fuego, the Beagle and Cockburn Channels, Strait of Magellan and the Chilean Fjords. Some cruises include the Falkland Islands.

Prinsendam reprises its popular 26-day Amazon River cruise roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale on November 25. The sailing calls at ports in the western Caribbean before heading to the jungles of Brazil. The adventure features eight days cruising the Amazon River with an overnight in Manuas, the furthest navigable point on the river for ocean-going vessels.

Europe & Trans-Atlantic
Whether guests are seeking an introduction to classic European capitals or a glimpse of life in the Shetland Islands or the Black Sea, Holland America Line packages more than 70 European itineraries, including 18 transatlantics in 2009. Six ships -- Eurodam, ms Maasdam, ms Noordam, Oosterdam, Prinsendam and Rotterdam -- will sail in northern and western Europe, eastern and western Mediterranean and across the Atlantic.

Noordam offers 18 Mediterranean sailings with 10-day itineraries departing Civitavecchia (Rome) April through October. Two cruises can be combined for a unique 20-day Collectors Voyage. The Oosterdam adds 14 alternating 12-day cruises sailing from homeports Barcelona and Venice, each offering overnights in Venice, Barcelona and/or Istanbul.

Prinsendam and Rotterdam cover Europe from the Black Sea and Mediterranean to Northern Europe and the Baltic, adding 22 distinct itineraries that range from 12 to 50 days.

For travelers seeking longer voyages, Maasdam offers a 35-day roundtrip Boston journey with two summer transatlantic segments between Boston and Rotterdam that include Iceland and Greenland. The Eurodam also sails August 11 from Copenhagen for a 16-day voyage to New York.

Eighteen additional transatlantic cruises provide a variety of itinerary options between Europe and North America with routes including varied ports in the Europe, Mediterranean, Iceland and Greenland and Canada.

Alaska
Holland America Line offers 154 departures from May 8 to Sept. 27 on three cruise options -- Glacier Bay Inside Passage Cruises, Glacier Discovery, and Alaskan Explorer Cruise. Statendam, ms Ryndam, ms Veendam, ms Volendam and ms Zuiderdam will offer seven-day cruises roundtrip from Vancouver or between Vancouver and Seward. ms Zaandam, Amsterdam, and ms Westerdam will offer seven-day round-trip sailings from Seattle.

Many itineraries include Glacier Bay National Park with others visiting the larger and equally spectacular Hubbard Glacier. Port highlights include Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Haines and Sitka, Alaska and Victoria, British Columbia. Holland America Line also features 29 CruiseTours, which combine cruises to or from Vancouver with inland adventures.

From Alaska's incomparable Denali National Park to the Kenai Peninsula, Arctic and Yukon Territory, Holland America Line's 2008 Alaska CruiseTours will explore natural wonders and provide guests with in-depth cultural and wilderness experiences. With 29 CruiseTours ranging from 10 to 20 days in length, Holland America Line combines an Inside Passage cruise with exceptional land tours.

Grand Voyages
Rotterdam returns to world cruising in 2009 with a 117-day Grand World Voyage departing Jan. 19, 2009, from Los Angeles across the Pacific Ocean to the Hawaiian Islands, South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, before concluding in New York. Guests also have the option of a pre Grand-World Transcanal on Jan. 5, 2009 from Ft. Lauderdale.

Prinsendam sails on two grand voyages in 2009. On January 2, the ship departs Fort Lauderdale for the 68-day South America & Antarctica Voyage. This sailing explores this amazing continent from the Inca empires of the Andes to the lacy fjords of Chile and three incredible days cruising in Antarctica to the remote jungles of the Amazon.
On March 11, Prinsendam departs Fort Lauderdale for a 50-day journey to the Mediterranean and Black Sea, exploring 25 centuries of history, culture and art with stops in Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey. This includes overnights in Barcelona, Spain, and Istanbul, Turkey, with port calls in France, Monaco, Italy, Greece, Ukraine and Portugal.

Amsterdam departs Seattle on September 26 for a new 67-day adventure to Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific. The itinerary includes French Polynesia, The Great Barrier Reef, and New Zealand.

Australia & New Zealand, South Pacific & Asia
Twenty-one South Pacific and Asia sailings from 12 to 19 days include brand-new itineraries and maiden ports aboard the Volendam. Itineraries are combinable into Collector's Voyages ranging from 27 to 66 days.

In Australia and New Zealand, cruises sail between Auckland and Sydney, visiting such ports as Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington. Two new Great Barrier Reef Experience cruises will enjoy four days in the Great Barrier Reef, an overnight at Sherrard Island, Darwin and Cairns.

New among Asia cruises are a 14-day Southeast Asia itinerary from Singapore to Hong Kong on April 4 (a reverse cruise sails from Hong Kong on November 9 for 12 days). The itinerary explores the best of Southeast Asia with an overnight in Bangkok and a first-time stop in Puerto Princesa, Philippines. Holland America Line has also added its first roundtrip Hong Kong sailing, a 14-day China and Vietnam itinerary departing on Oct. 26.

To start the year, Ryndam will sail roundtrip from San Diego on a 30-day voyage to Hawaii, French Polynesia, and the Marquesas Islands.

Mexico & Hawaii
Seventeen Mexico sailings and 14 Hawaii departures in 2009 aboard the Ryndam, Zaandam, Amsterdam and Oosterdam range from seven to 19 days. Most depart roundtrip from the popular homeport of San Diego, which provides convenient port access.

Ryndam will sail on 10- to 15-day Mexican Riviera and Sea of Cortez itineraries from February through April, while changing to seven to 12-day cruises to both destinations from September onward. Oosterdam will sail seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from Jan. through Feb. Holland America Line is the only premium line to sail the Sea of Cortez and offer optional shore excursions to Copper Canyon.

In Hawaii, Zaandam sails 15- to 19-day Circle Hawaii cruises. Fourteen departures call at Hawaii's four main islands, including Hilo and Kona, Hawaii; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; and Lahaina, Maui.

Panama Canal and Amazon
Six Holland America Line ships traverse the Panama Canal on 23 sailings that range from 14 to 21 days. The 27-day Inca Discovery sailing aboard Statendam from Fort Lauderdale departs Jan. 10 on a journey that explores five Central and South America countries and the Panama Canal. The Oosterdam will sail a shorter version of the itinerary on Nov. 2 from Fort Lauderdale to Valparaiso, Chile. And Amsterdam sails a 21-day roundtrip Panamerica voyage Dec. 2 and visits Mexico, the Panama Canal, Guatamala and Costa Rica.

Ten 14-day full transit Panama Canal cruises depart Fort Lauderdale and San Diego aboard Statendam during winter and fall months. With these departures, Holland America Line has returned to Panama Canal cruises for an entire season in addition to spring and fall sailings. The Zuiderdam continues its 10-day Fort Lauderdale Panama Canal roundtrip cruises.

Other canal sailings are the 14-day Amsterdam departure from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 23. The Rotterdam also sails a 19-day holiday canal voyage on Dec. 16 from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles.

Canada/New England
Holland America Line's new Signature-class Eurodam will continue sailing Canada and New England cruises in 2009 and, together with Maasdam, will offer 21 cruises ranging from seven- to 15-days between May and Oct.

Eurodam features 10-day cruises between New York and Quebec City and also offers a 14-day cruise from Quebec City to Ft. Lauderdale. Maasdam adds seven-day sailings between Boston and Montreal with spring through fall dates. One Boston to Boston roundtrip sails on Aug. 29.

Caribbean
Nine Holland America Line ships will sail the Caribbean, with a roster comprising more than 220 sailings from Jan. to Apr. and October to December. Cruises range from seven-day eastern Caribbean getaways to exotic 14-day adventures in the southern Caribbean, some of which include the Panama Canal or South American ports. Guests on seven-day cruises may choose western, eastern or southern itineraries.

Departures are designed so guests can combine a seven-day southern Caribbean with a seven-day western or eastern Caribbean cruise to offer a more in-depth journey. The Collector's Cruises are also offered on select 10-day sailings, turning them into 20-day complete Caribbean experiences. Many cruises also feature a day at Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line's acclaimed private island. With activities such as a guided AquaTrax watercraft tour and stingray adventure, Half Moon Cay continues to serve as the line's highest rated Caribbean port of call.

For more information, consult a travel agent, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

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Oceania Cruises Adds More Than 100 Gateways to Free Air Program

Miami, FL, April 28, 2008 — Oceania Cruises is pleased to announce that it has expanded the Free Airfare program for its 2009 European Collection to include more than 120 cities in the Untied States and Canada.

“Based on the feedback we have received, we want to ensure that our promotions are inclusive of as many of our travel partners and guests as possible. The Oceania Cruises Experience has tremendous allure and now offers even greater value with a free airfare program that is unrivaled in its scope,” stated Bob Binder, President of Oceania Cruises.

With Free Airfare from more than 120 North American gateways and 2 for 1 cruise fares, these extraordinary voyages are the pinnacle of value and guests are urged to make their reservations as early as possible to ensure that they take advantage of the free airfare and receive the accommodations of choice on their preferred voyage. The free airfare promotion is valid through August 31, 2008 and is capacity controlled.

With an unrivaled array of itineraries that call on Europe’s most enticing ports, Oceania Cruises will offer 56 European voyages that range in length from 10 to 30 days and call at more than 80 ports. With a keen focus on providing a unique and enriching destination experience, every aspect of the line’s 2009 European Collection has been meticulously crafted with the discriminating traveler in mind. With more overnight stays in Europe’s star cities and a unique mixture of marquee and boutique ports, traveler are afforded the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich and abundant history, culture and cuisine of Europe’s most alluring cities. Oceania Cruises’ three ships offer opportunities for discerning travelers to explore everything from the romantic waters of the Mediterranean and Greek Isles to the cosmopolitan capitals and stunning scenery of Northern Europe.

Highlights of the 2009 European Collection:

Magnificent Maiden Ports – Hellesylt, Norway; Fowey, United Kingdom; Biarritz, France; Koper, Slovenia; and Split, Croatia.

Jacques Pépin sails aboard Insignia from Barcelona to Istanbul on August 9. With a mix of intriguing ports including Egypt and the Holy Land, this voyage will include special culinary demonstrations, wine lectures and exclusive shore side events.

5th Annual Oceania Club Reunion Cruise – departing from Rome on October 5, 2009, this extraordinary 12-day voyage call on a dozen ports in five fascinating countries. With a stellar line-up of ports that includes Venice, Cinque Terre, Dubrovnik, Kotor, and Monte Carlo to name just a few, Oceania Club members will be feted with exclusive cocktail parties, members-only lunches and dinners, private shore excursions and additional surprises.

A New 16-day Venice-Rome voyage highlights the scenic splendor and intriguing history of the Dalmatian Coast. Insignia sails from Venice to Rome on May 15 and calls on Koper, Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Sarande, Valletta, Taormina, Sorrento, Amalfi, Florence, St Tropez, and Cinque Terre.

Regatta returns to Scandinavia and Russia and sails to Norway and the British Isles for the very first time. A 12-day Norwegian Fjords and British Isles cruise sails roundtrip from Dover on July 13 and calls on Edinburgh, Invergordon, Alesund, Hellesylt, Belfast, Dublin, Waterford, and Fowey.

A new 14-day Egypt and Israel itinerary sails from Barcelona to Istanbul and includes Tunisia, Malta, Greece, Egypt, Israel, Cyprus and Turkey. This voyage departs aboard Nautica on June 27, Insignia on August 9 and Regatta on October 31.

4 new Grand Voyages that span all of Europe and South America. Guests may sail from Venice to Stockholm; Barcelona to Venice, showcasing virtually the entire Mediterranean; Istanbul to Miami; and Rome to Rio de Janeiro.

For additional information, to make a reservation, or to order a brochure, please contact your Travel Agent or Oceania Cruises at 800-531-5658. Visit us at www.OceaniaCruises.com

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Best of the Baltics & Fjords: Costa Cruises Offers Most Verandas & Savings on Northern European Voyages in 2008

MIAMI, FL, April 28 – From the lush green landscapes surrounding centuries-old fjords to the sophisticated cities of Scandinavia, Costa Cruises offers travelers a glimpse into the “Best of the Baltics” aboard its three ships that sail the region on seven to 14-night voyages in 2008. With more verandas in Northern Europe than any other cruise line, guests will have a special view into this incredible part of Europe that brings both sublime nature and cultural enticement together in one place. Fares on these sailings begin at just $799 in the summer, offering an outstanding value for travelers to experience the region, complete with Costa’s signature Italian flair for “la dolce vita.”

In 2008, three Costa ships will sail Northern Europe – the 86,000-ton Costa Mediterranea and Costa Atlantica, as well as the 76,000-ton Costa Victoria. Together, these ships offer more veranda accommodations than any other cruise line. Costa’s Northern European itineraries cover thousands of square miles, from Iceland to Sweden, from Norway to Germany, from Denmark to Russia. Travelers will see awe-inspiring fjords, cascading waterfalls, legendary castles, ornate palaces and brilliantly colorful meadows visiting cities like St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Oslo. This unique mix of spectacular natural beauty, medieval castles, storybook palaces and savvy city flair come together to form an unbelievable experience for guests.

“This summer, we’re offering some of our best values ever to travelers visiting Northern Europe – not only are the fares incredible, but the quality guests will experience onboard is beyond excellent on all three ships sailing the region,” said Maurice M. Zarmati, President and CEO of Costa Cruise Lines—North America. “Our three ships in the region offer guests more veranda options than any other cruise line. For travelers who have already visited the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, or even Alaska, sailing Northern Europe is the perfect vacation option.”

Costa offers guests a unique experience of “love, laughter and la dolce vita” in Northern Europe, and everywhere they sail. For 60 years, Costa Cruises has brought its special brand of Italian warmth and European sophistication to travelers around the world. “Cruising Italian Style” with Costa is much more than a voyage to a new and exciting destination – it’s an experience that creates lifetime memories that linger and make guests smile at unexpected moments. From delectable fresh pastas, warm cappuccinos, international guests who become friends from around the world, and charming Italian greetings travelers hear such as “buon giorno” and “buona sera,” sailing with Costa brings the passion and vitality of Italy to sea. For reservations or more information, contact a travel agent, call (800) GO-COSTA or visit www.costacruises.com.

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NCL’S First F3 Ship Takes Shape With Keel Laying

ST. NAZAIRE, FRANCE – April 24, 2008 – During a ceremony today at Aker Yards in St. Nazaire, France, the keel was laid for the first of Norwegian Cruise Line's F3 ships, the third generation and the next evolution of the company’s innovative Freestyle Cruising ships. The first block of the keel, number 5006, a double bottom block weighing 322 tons, was put into place marking the start of the overall construction of the ship. The milestone ceremony was attended by executives from Star Cruises, Apollo Management, NCL, and Aker Yards. Upholding maritime tradition, each attendee was invited to put a specially designed coin in a tube that was welded shut and placed in the keel for good luck.

“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.”

The two 150,000-ton F3 ships will each total 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ships in NCL's fleet. The new ship design will offer 60 percent more guest space than NCL's largest ships to date, which will be used to provide guests an even wider range of on-board activities, amenities and stateroom options. The ships' cabin mix will be the richest of any NCL ship with 100 percent of outside staterooms featuring private balconies. In total, each ship will have 1,415 balcony staterooms.

More details about the F3 ships including other innovative accommodations, public spaces, dining, entertainment/nightlife, cutting-edge technology and casino will be announced leading up to the launch of the first F3 ship in 2010. For the latest updates on F3 with downloadable high-resolution images of the New Wave staterooms, visit www.F3.ncl.com.

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Boston Symphony Chamber Players to Perform Aboard Queen Mary 2

SOUTHAMPTON, England, April 24 -- The Boston Symphony Chamber Players, one of the world's most distinguished chamber music ensembles, will perform on Queen Mary 2's eastbound Transatlantic Crossing departing New York on September 4. Cunard Line, the "Official Cruise Line" of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, will welcome these players and the Boston Symphony Orchestra's esteemed Artistic Administrator, Anthony Fogg, for special performances and lectures held throughout the voyage.

The Boston Symphony Chamber Players' engagement is a highlight this season of many illuminating performances and appearances that comprise "Cunard Insights™", the Line's award-winning enrichment program, which is now available on all three of its celebrated ocean liners. "Live classical music remains a Cunard hallmark to this day and showcasing a world-class chamber orchestra of this notoriety will be a truly memorable event for our guests," said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line.

The Boston Symphony Chamber Players were founded in 1964 to ensure the BSO could share the unique qualities of the full chamber repertoire with concertgoers. Cunard Line is entering its second season as sponsor of the Boston Pops at Tanglewood Series and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. To learn more about the upcoming schedule of performances for "Cunard Insights", visit www.cunard.com and search for a specific voyage itinerary. To book passage aboard Queen Mary 2's September 4 Transatlantic Crossing, or for general information and reservations for Cunard, contact your travel professional, call 1-800-7-CUNARD or go to www.cunard.com.

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NCL Introduces New Entertainment On Board Norwegian Jade

MIAMI, April 24 – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced that it has introduced new entertainment on board Norwegian Jade as part of the ship’s year-round deployment in Europe. Reflecting the company’s continuing commitment to Freestyle Cruising, the wide variety of entertainment offerings were designed to offer guests more flexibility during Norwegian Jade’s port-intensive European itineraries. The new entertainment includes four new off-Broadway musicals, the legendary show phenomenon Tony n' Tina's Wedding, an expanded The Second City comedy show, and a classical dance production by award-winning choreographer Twyla Tharp. In addition, Norwegian Jade is the first NCL ship to feature Freestyle 2.0 enhancements, including all new menus in the restaurants, upgraded bedding and enhanced on-board activities programming, including NCL “U” enrichment classes, themed parties, sports programming and enhanced youth programs.

“With Norwegian Jade’s year-round deployment in Europe, we’ve developed special entertainment programming that raises the bar for cruise ship entertainment, offering an engaging and vibrant daytime and nighttime line-up for our guests,” said Colin Veitch, NCL’s president and CEO.

On Norwegian Jade, NCL has replaced the traditional cruise director with both a master of ceremonies and a guest activities director. The master of ceremonies is a professional entertainer who hosts all evening events while the guest activities director coordinates the ship’s daytime activities. In addition, the entertainment scheduling has been changed to allow guests more flexibility and choice each evening. The nighttime production shows are offered twice per cruise, but only one performance per evening, in contrast to the traditional offering of one production show being offered twice per night. This provides guests the option of catching a show later in the cruise if they miss the first performance. In addition, most evenings there is a second show performed that includes acrobatics, action comedy and magic. To enhance the performance, all shows are performed live with the accompaniment of the Norwegian Jade orchestra.

Norwegian Jade’s new Freestyle Entertainment includes:

-- Smokey Joe’s Café, The Songs of Leiber and Stoller: A jukebox comes alive during this Tony-awarding winning musical, showcasing more than 40 classic favorite rock and roll, rhythm and blues songs written by songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The hits include “Dance with Me,” “Poison Ivy,” “Hound Dog,” “Stand by Me,” and more.
-- SHOUT! The Mod Musical: Based on a popular British magazine, this engaging revue brings back the smashing sounds of England in the 1960s. From cover to cover, SHOUT! travels through the decade with unforgettable music of the era and includes performances of classic songs such as “Downtown,” “Son of a Preacher Man,” and “Goldfinger” along with eye-popping fashions and groovy dance numbers.
-- And the World Goes ‘Round: The Songs of Kander & Ebb: This glittering musical features an eclectic collection of love and torch songs, such as “New York, New York,” “Cabaret,” and “Money, Money,” interspersed with banjos, roller skates and a tribute to Sara Lee.
-- Showdown!: This NCL Entertainment original production features four “contestants” who compete in a mock reality singing competition where the audience votes on the winner. The contestants sing Motown favorites and engage the audience with their unique personalities. They also invite the audience to join in the fun in a dance-a-thon medley.
-- Sinatra Suite: Choreographed by the award-winning dance legend Twyla Tharp, this two-dancer ballet set to Sinatra music was originally performed by Mikhail Baryshnikov and is performed on the ship by a husband and wife team. Full of emotion and romance, the piece features classic Frank Sinatra songs, including “Strangers in the Night,” “That’s Life,” and “My Way.” Costumes for the production were designed by Oscar de la Renta. The dance is performed as part of a Classical Evening that includes an opera singer and another Tharp choreographed work, Junk Duet.
-- The Second City International Cabaret: A seven-member ensemble from famed Chicago improvisational group, The Second City, hosts an entirely new and expanded evening of cabaret theatre in the Spinnaker Lounge. Offered multiple nights and running for four hours, the cabaret mixes The Second City’s unique sketch improvisational comedy with game show vignettes, special guests and dance and music sets performed by a live band. This highly interactive evening includes lots of spontaneous entertainment and audience involvement.
-- Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding: The hottest off-Broadway show and one of the longest running, Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding is a hilarious interactive show that satirizes a traditional Italian-American wedding with audience members as "invited guests" to the nuptials of the Vitale and Nunzio families, portrayed by a improvisational cast of 25. The wedding and reception is held once per cruise in the Spinnaker Lounge, which is transformed into Vinnie's Coliseum restaurant, a classic Italian wedding hall complete with pasta served on paper plates.
-- Bar Central: In addition to the shows in the Stardust Theater and Spinnaker Lounge, Bar Central is another exciting entertainment venue. This dynamic piano lounge attracts guests from cocktail hour to late night with its engaging blend of show tunes, classical and popular music. Guest entertainers from other venues often drop in for impromptu duets and star turns.

Freestyle 2.0 Offers Enhanced On-Board Activities -- On Norwegian Jade, guests are among the first to experience a wide-range of new day and evening offerings as part of Freestyle 2.0. These include:

-- NCL “U”: Guests on Norwegian Jade can experience this enhanced educational, entertainment and lifestyle programming, which includes a number of offerings throughout each cruise focused on four distinct areas: Digital Age & Technology; Destination Education; Food, Wine and Spirits; and Comedy & Humor hosted by the famed The Second City troupe. Guests can choose from a number of seminars including a variety of sessions giving tips on digital photography, a series of destination discovery overviews, mojito making, tequila tasting, French pastry making, 30-minute Italian meals, corporate world improv tips, class clowns: improv for kids and much more.
-- New Themed Parties: Guests can party to the wee hours with two new themed nighttime parties: NCL’s White Hot Night and NCL’s Monte Carlo Night. Held in the Spinnaker Lounge on Norwegian Jade, the White Hot Night is the ultimate dance party set in a wonderland of white. Guests are also asked to wear white to the party and they can purchase special “white hot” shirts designed specifically for the event. NCL’s Monte Carlo Night, held in the casino, sizzles with all of the glitz and glam reminiscent of the French Riviera. It’s an evening of tantalizing entertainment unlike any other.
-- Enhanced Pool Deck Experience: Guests on Norwegian Jade are treated to a number of special sailaway parties throughout the cruise. Drink flags have been added on all deck chairs with witty sayings such as “I’m unwinding. (Please don’t make me walk to the bar).” In addition, cold towels are delivered regularly throughout the day and crew members are equipped with Evian spritzers to cool off guests who need some refreshing.
-- Enhanced Sports Programming: All new sports activities have been designed to make the sports deck more interactive and exciting. These activities include basketball tournaments; fitness classes such as body sculpting and stretch and relax offered outside on the sports deck; scheduled walks with the activities staff; and scheduled shuffleboard, table tennis and human-sized chess games on the sports deck.
-- Expanded Kid’s Crew and More Teen Activities: Kid’s Crew hours have been expanded and now run from approximately 9:00 am through to 10:30 pm on both port and sea days. Parents have the flexibility of letting their children enjoy the Kid’s Crew during these expanded times. As part of Freestyle 2.0, table games, Nintendo Wii and Xbox video game consoles have been added to the Teen Lounge.

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Regent Seven Seas Cruises Offers Tahitian Entertainment & Culture
Aboard Paul Gauguin

FORT LAUDERDALE, April 24 – Regent Seven Seas Cruises is celebrating the music, dance and culture of French Polynesia aboard the 330-guest Paul Gauguin. A new “Polynesian Night” is now offered during one evening of each voyage.
Polynesian Night features exciting and enlightening entertainment direct from the people of Tahiti, with arts and crafts demonstrations, special decorations in public rooms, and Polynesian-themed dinners available in Paul Gauguin’s two main restaurants.

“Our love for the Polynesian people and admiration of their heritage and culture is evident throughout our ship and remains a key part of our guests’ experience,” said Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “As operators of the only luxury vessel offering Tahiti cruises year-round, we feel a special responsibility to faithfully bring the music, dance and craftwork of French Polynesia to our guests.”

Departing roundtrip from Tahiti, Paul Gauguin will sail throughout French Polynesia in 2008 and 2009, offering seven-night Society Islands cruises, a handful of 10-, 11- and 14-night voyages in the region, and rare opportunities to sail to and from Brisbane, Australia on two 16-night cruises in January 2009. Ports of call include Bora Bora, located at the center of a multicolored lagoon surrounded by offshore "motu" islets inside a protective coral necklace; Moorea, home to spectacular bays and volcanic peaks reflected in the waters of Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay; and Huahine, one of the most picturesque and geographically diverse islands in the Society Group. Paul Gauguin, which recently celebrated its 10th consecutive year of uninterrupted service in Tahiti, is the region’s premiere ultra luxury cruise vessel, perfectly suited to the balmy days, sultry nights and inspiring panoramas of the South Pacific. The ship’s spacious public rooms and informal but luxurious environment evoke Tahiti’s tranquil atmosphere while the friendly onboard staff reflects the welcoming nature of the French Polynesian people.

On board, guests experience entertainment and enrichment programs that draw from and also celebrate Tahiti’s culture and inspiring natural environment. The beautiful and talented Gauguines - part cruise staff, part musical entertainers, part storytellers - add the unique personality of French Polynesia to every voyage, interacting with guests aboard ship and during shore activities in their native land. This energetic troupe has been an integral part of Tahiti cruises aboard Paul Gauguin since its inception.

Young guests and parents aboard Paul Gauguin may also participate in an exciting enrichment program designed to teach vacationers ways in which they can help protect the earth. Ambassadors of the Environment, created by famed ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques Cousteau, provides families aboard Paul Gauguin with shared experiences in learning the skills and practices to ensure a sustainable environment. Ideal for families traveling together, the program, run by Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society, gives all participants direct, hands-on experiences and knowledge of marine eco-systems, while emphasizing the critical importance of conservation. Through slide shows, hikes, snorkeling excursions and discussions, families are introduced to the natural wonders of the region’s environment and their residents. The optional program is offered during the summer months and over the holidays. Full information and special offers on all 2008 and 2009 Regent Seven Seas Tahiti voyages can be found at www.RSSC.com.

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New Carnival Splendor Offers An Array of International Cuisines

MIAMI – From hand-rolled sushi and a supper club modeled after New York’s renowned steakhouses to Mongolian barbeque and Indian tandoori, the new 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor will provide guests with a delectable array of international cuisines when it debuts in Europe this summer. The largest “Fun Ship” constructed to date, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor makes maximum use of its size, featuring the widest variety of formal and casual dining options at sea with delicious, palate-pleasing offerings from around the world.

In addition to multi-course meals served in spectacular two-level main dining rooms, a diversity of global choices await diners in The Lido restaurant, which boasts a tandoori oven offering Indian-style chicken, fish kebobs, breads and other delicacies, a Mongolian wok where guests can select vegetables, seafood, meat and spices and have it prepared right before their eyes, and the ever-popular 24-hour pizza with seven kinds of pies and calzone. Carnival’s successful supper club concept will also be taken to new heights with The Pinnacle serving the finest dry-aged U.S.D.A. prime steaks and other dishes in a refined atmosphere.

“Today’s consumers are savvier than ever when it comes to cuisine, and they want not only longtime favorites but also the opportunity to enjoy new choices they typically wouldn’t try at home,” said Natko Nincevic, Carnival’s senior vice president of hotel operations. “Carnival Splendor’s size has enabled us to explore different culinary options for our guests’ enjoyment and raise the bar on our ocean-going cuisine,” he added.

Main Dining Rooms Offer Carnival Favorites
In keeping with the theme of culinary diversity, Carnival’s main dining rooms, the Golden Pearl, located aft, and the forward Black Pearl, offer guests a choice of six different appetizers and soups, two salads, and six entrees, and the ever-popular Broiled Lobster Tail served once each voyage, Additionally, Carnival Classics—a selection of popular appetizers, entrees and desserts—is available daily. A variety of decadent desserts, including Carnival’s legendary Chocolate Melting Cake, and an extensive wine list, featuring a number of reserve selections, will also be available.

Reservations-Only Supper Club
For those seeking a more intimate meal, there’s The Pinnacle, a reservations-only supper club, which will offer the finest cuisine in elegant and memorable surroundings that include a glass dance floor suspended over a mini-atrium that’s sure to be a conversation starter. Modeled after New York’s top steakhouses, The Pinnacle’s menu includes a nine-ounce filet, 14-ounce strip loin, and a 24-ounce porterhouse, along with lobster tail, veal and lamb chops, Dover sole and surf and turf with seared lobster and grilled filet mignon. Traditional steakhouse accompaniments such as creamed spinach, wasabi mashed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms, will also be available. Impeccable, leisurely-paced service, the finest china and stemware, and one of the most extensive wine lists afloat—hand selected by the line’s master chefs to match the cuisine—make dining at The Pinnacle a truly unforgettable experience.

Increased Casual Offerings
Continuing Carnival’s efforts at expanding the quality and variety of its casual dining choices, Carnival Splendor’s poolside restaurant, The Lido, will offer a wide range of breakfast, lunch and dinner alternatives served buffet-style. In addition to Indian tandoori and Mongolian barbecue venues, The Lido will include a New York–style deli with piled-high sandwiches and popular sides, a 35-item salad bar, pasta and meat-carving stations, and a grill serving hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken and steak sandwiches. Carnival Splendor will also feature a rotisserie upstairs on Panorama Deck, serving rotisserie chicken with the cruise line’s signature spice rub, along with traditional accompaniments.

Other Palate-Pleasing Options
Carnival Splendor’s culinary choices don’t end there. The ship also features The Coffee Shop, offering espressos, lattes and cappuccinos and decadent sweets; California Roll, a sushi bar offering complimentary Asian specialties prior to dinner each evening; and El Mojito, which, like the name implies, will offer different variations of the classic cocktail, along with a selection of wines and martinis.

There’s also 24-hour stateroom service—complimentary, of course—where guests can have freshly made hot and cold sandwiches, salads and other fare delivered to their cabin any time of the day or night. Late-night buffets with a different theme each night, including the Gala Midnight Buffet and Chocolate Extravaganza, will be featured, as well.

Carnival Splendor will also offer the popular “Fountain Fun Card,” offering unlimited soft drinks throughout the voyage for a one-time fee. Adult and children’s versions of the card will be available.

Carnival Splendor is set to debut July 2, 2008, with an eight-day voyage from Genoa followed by the launch of 12-day Northern Europe cruises from London (Dover) July 13, 2008. The ship will be deployed to Rome (Civitavecchia) for 12-day voyages to the Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey then reposition to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for seven-day Caribbean departures. Following a series of 14- to 18-day South America voyages, Carnival Splendor begins year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages from Long Beach, California on March 29, 2009.

For additional information and reservations on Carnival Splendor’s various European, Caribbean, South American, and Mexican Riviera cruises, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.

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Oceania Cruises to Adjust Fuel Surcharge

In response to the continually escalating price of fuel, Oceania Cruises is increasing its fuel surcharge* to $10 per guest per day for all new reservations effective May 1, 2008. The surcharge applies to all currently published sailings.

"The price of fuel continues to rise in price to levels that were previously unimaginable. We appreciate the continued understanding of our guests and travel agent partners as we make this necessary adjustment,” stated Bob Binder, President of Oceania Cruises.

The fuel surcharge of $10 per guest per day, regardless of voyage length, is effective for all new reservations as of May 1, 2008. The fuel surcharge applies only to the first two guests in the stateroom or suite and does not apply to third or fourth guests.

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New 130,000-ton Carnival Dream to be Based at Port Canaveral

MIAMI, April 23 – Carnival Cruise Lines has announced that the new 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, the largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed, will be based at Port Canaveral, Florida, beginning in fall 2009. Details on the ship’s itinerary will be provided at a later date. Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, the 3,652-passenger Carnival Dream is the first in a new class of ship for the line with a unique interior design, sleek hull and distinctive profile, along with a host of innovative facilities and features which will be released in the coming months.

The deployment of the Carnival Dream to Port Canaveral continues the line’s 18-year relationship with the Canaveral Port Authority, the longest tenure of any cruise line there. In addition to the Carnival Dream, the line has two other “Fun Ships” scheduled to enter service: the 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor, set to debut in Europe July 2, 2008, and the 130,000-ton Carnival Magic, slated for delivery in June 2011.

Carnival is the largest cruise line in the world, with 22 “Fun Ships” operating 3- to 18-day voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, Canada, New England, Europe and South America. For additional information on the “Fun Ship” vacation experience, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.

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Celebrity Cruises to 'High Five' its Guests With 2009-10 Caribbean Season

MIAMI, April 23 -- Celebrity Cruises is giving Caribbean cruise enthusiasts something to celebrate in late 2009 and early 2010. For the first time in five years, Celebrity will offer a range of Caribbean itineraries lasting a week or longer on five of its ships: Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Mercury, Celebrity Solstice, and Celebrity Summit. Together, the ships will call at 26 different ports during sailings ranging from seven to 14 nights, departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. These bookings opened for sale today.

Celebrity's 2009-10 seasonal Caribbean season will feature calls on new ports, the deployment of two of the line's new Solstice class of ships to the region, and the reintroduction of a 14-night itinerary length. Highlights will include the following:

-- Celebrity will introduce three new ports to its Caribbean line-up, including Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe; St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Scarborough, Tobago.
-- Celebrity Solstice, launching in December 2008, will sail seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises roundtrip out of Fort Lauderdale. These will alternate between two itineraries, one featuring calls at San Juan; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, and the other featuring stops at San Juan; Philipsburg; Tortola, British Virgin
Islands; and Labadee, Haiti.
-- Celebrity Equinox will sail 10- and 11-night "Ultimate Caribbean" cruises roundtrip out of Fort Lauderdale, featuring stops at ports such as St. Thomas; St. Kitts; Barbados; Dominica; St. Maarten; Grand Cayman; Colombia; Costa Rica; and Mexico. The 11-night itinerary includes a stop at Roatan, Honduras, which Celebrity has not visited since 2007.
-- Celebrity Constellation will sail Celebrity's first 14-night Caribbean season itineraries since 2005, offering several 14-night "Exotic Southern Caribbean" sailings roundtrip out of Miami, featuring calls in St. Thomas, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Tobago, Aruba, and Curacao.
-- Celebrity Mercury will sail a series of 10- and 11-night Southern Caribbean cruises out of San Juan. Celebrity Mercury will also sail one 15-night holiday cruise during this series, and one nine-night cruise in early 2010.
-- From mid-December 2009 through mid-April 2010, Celebrity Summit will sail seven-night roundtrip voyages out of San Juan; this pattern includes the addition of the port of Scarborough to Celebrity's line-up as well as the addition of a call at Bridgetown, Barbados.

Celebrity will offer guests a variety of shore and land experiences in each port of call visited during its 2009-10 Caribbean season. Examples include:

-- "Mi Dushi" in Aruba, which lets guests board "Mi Dushi" for a day of sailing and snorkeling and an island lunch.
-- "St. Maarten Art Tour," which lets guests experience the island's art scene through tours of studios, galleries, and even homes of local artists.
-- "Swim with Turtles, Shipwrecks, Snorkel and Beach" in Barbados, during which guests encounter native sea life, learn more about abandoned ships and experience the pleasures of snorkeling.
-- "St. Thomas Ocean Racing Challenge," where guests have the opportunity to "be" part of the racing teams aboard the On Deck's Farr 65 Ocean Racing Around the World yachts.

Celebrity Cruises also recently announced its 2009-10 offerings of 4- and 5-night cruises to the Caribbean. To learn more about all of Celebrity's 2009-2010 Caribbean sailings, guests are encouraged to visit www.celebritycruises.com. To learn more about Celebrity's new Solstice class, guests can tour www.celebritysolstice.com

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Holland America Line Offers 70 Europe Cruises in 2009

SEATTLE, April 23 -- In 2009, Holland America Line is offering its most diverse and extensive European program ever. Six of the fleet's ships, including the soon-to-be-launched ms Eurodam, will cruise to 166 ports of call on 70 itineraries throughout the season. Sailing from March through November, the 2009 Europe season also features 16 maiden ports scattered throughout countries that reach from the Arctic Circle to the shores of North Africa and the Black Sea.

The six ships -- ms Eurodam, ms Maasdam, ms Noordam, ms Oosterdam, ms Prinsendam and ms Rotterdam -- sail various itineraries reflecting the rich diversity of culture and history that Europe has to offer.

"North Americans are realizing that a cruise is the most cost-effective way to experience Europe," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs for Holland America Line. "Our 2009 lineup of itineraries provides the best of traditional Europe with some new exciting destinations as well."

Cruises range from 10 to 50 days, and enable guests to combine non-repeating itineraries to form a unique Collectors' Voyage. These port-intensive sailings offer a more in-depth experience and special pricing, making them all the more enticing to the avid traveler.

Marvel of the Mediterranean
Noordam will follow two alternating 10-day Mediterranean round-trip Civitavecchia (Rome) itineraries. "Roman Empires" visits the eastern Mediterranean and "Mediterranean Enchantment" sails the western Mediterranean and includes North Africa. The itineraries can be combined to form a Collectors' Voyage, either the 20-day "Mediterranean Adventure" ("Roman Empires" followed by "Mediterranean Enchantment") or the reverse schedule.

After a half-dozen years spent sailing around North America, Oosterdam returns to Europe for a series of three 12-day Mediterranean itineraries that feature two overnight stays in Venice, Italy, and either Barcelona, Spain, or Istanbul, Turkey, depending on the itinerary. "Mediterranean Empires" sails round-trip Venice, "Mediterranean Romance" sails Venice to Barcelona, and "Mediterranean Tapestry" sails a reverse itinerary from Barcelona to Venice. Guests can book an all-encompassing 24-day voyage by combining "Mediterranean Empires" with either "Romance" or "Tapestry."

Highlights of Northern Europe
Eurodam and Rotterdam will explore Scandinavia, Russia and the Norwegian fjords on 10- and 12-day sailings. Eurodam will sail 10-day round-trip Copenhagen, Denmark, itineraries, which include scenic cruising in either Sweden or Norway. Guests wishing to thoroughly explore the region can combine two itineraries to form a 20-day "Ultimate Northern Europe" Collectors' Voyage.

Rotterdam will feature 12-day sailings between Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Copenhagen. A two-day stay in St. Petersburg, Russia, enables guests to take in the sites in the history-rich city. Rotterdam also will sail a one-time, 12-day voyage between Rotterdam and Copenhagen called "Northern Strongholds" that offers unique opportunities to visit many castles and features an overnight in Stockholm, Sweden.

Prinsendam discovers Europe
Prinsendam starts the season with a trans-Atlantic voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Civitavecchia (Rome). Upon reaching Europe, the ship will explore Portugal, Spain and Italy before working its way through the region on various northern Europe and Mediterranean itineraries ranging from 14 to 30 days. Prinsendam wraps up the season with a 24-day "European Farewell" trans-Atlantic crossing from Athens to Fort Lauderdale.

16 new ports ready to be explored in 2009
With guests looking to explore new and unique destinations, Holland America Line has added 16 maiden ports of call to the 2009 European itineraries. Ranging from northern Europe over to the Black Sea, these ports represent 11 countries and include Hendaye (Biarritz), France; Oostende (Brugge), Belgium; Kiel, Germany; Scrabster, Scotland, United Kingdom; Kristiansund, Norway; Vaasa, Finland; Foynes, Ireland; Greencastle, Northern Ireland; Portland, England, United Kingdom; Santa Margherita, Italy; Bat'umi, Georgia; Victoria (Rabat), Gozo, Malta; Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom; Djupivogur, Iceland; Palau, Sardinia, Italy; and Trapani, Sicily, Italy.

For a 2009 Europe cruise brochure or for more information, consult a professional travel agent, call 1-877-724-5425 or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

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Culinary Superstars Set For Crystal's Fall Food & Wine Festival

LOS ANGELES, CA, April 23 - With today's culinary artists becoming international celebrities, the route to the kitchen is the new red carpet. Tapping into this trend, Crystal Cruises has secured star guest chefs and wine experts for the stages and galleys of its October Wine & Food Festival cruises in the Mediterranean and New England.

* Michelle Bernstein, former James Beard nominee and famed chef/owner of Michy's in Miami, and wine expert/author Lettie Teague of Food & Wine Magazine will dazzle Crystal Serenity guests with Mediterranean inspired cuisine and wine appreciation on a 12-day voyage from Rome to Barcelona departing October 18, 2008.

* Henri Brosi, executive chef of London's Dorchester Hotel, will showcase the techniques that have earned him worldwide critical acclaim during a 10-day Canada and New England Crystal Symphony cruise beginning on October 19 from Montreal to New York. Joining him is wine "wizard" Keith Goldston, one of the world's youngest Master Sommeliers.

Onboard lectures, cooking demonstrations, tastings, and dinners of signature dishes promise food and wine enthusiasts access to the insights and talents of these culinary stars through their award-winning cuisine and their passion for fine food and wine. Bernstein and Brosi are among a roster of internationally recognized world-class chefs headlining Crystal Cruises' six Wine and Food Festival voyages in 2008. Throughout each voyage, carefully crafted optional shore excursions offer guests authentic regional culinary experiences, such as cooking lessons at a Michelin star restaurant in Sorrento, wine tasting in the Sicilian countryside, a lobster lunch on the coast of Nova Scotia and a three-course gourmet meal and blind wine tasting in Saint John's.

Crystal Serenity's 12-day cruise from Rome to Barcelona October 18, 2008, features calls in Naples and Sicily/Catania, Italy; Gibraltar, United Kingdom; and Malaga, Cartagena, Valencia and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; concluding with a shipboard overnight call in Barcelona. Fares begin at $4,445, per person, double occupancy.

Crystal Symphony's 10-day cruise from Montreal to New York, October 19, 2008, features calls in Quebec City, Quebec; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Saint John's, New Brunswick; Bar Harbor, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; and Newport, Rhode Island. Fares begin at $3,435, per person, double occupancy.

For more information and Crystal reservations, please contact a travel agent or call 888-799-4625. Visit the luxury line's website at www.crystalcruises.com.

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Cunard Queens Rendezvous in Southampton for First and Last Time

April 23 - In yet another historic Cunard occasion, the Line's three Queens - Queen Mary 2, QE2 and Queen Victoria - met yesterday in their homeport of Southampton for the first and last time. QE2 and Queen Victoria arrived after completing milestone World Cruises: the final such voyage for the iconic "grande dame" QE2, set to leave Cunard's service in November, and the first World Cruise for Queen Victoria.

Queen Mary 2 arrived after concluding her first Transatlantic Crossing of the season and will transport the remaining World Cruisers from both QE2 and Queen Victoria back to New York, arriving April 28.

The three ships are the only passenger vessels in the world with Southampton on their sterns.

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Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Revises Fuel Supplement

MIAMI, April 22 -- In its ongoing efforts to deal with record fuel prices, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. today announced an increase in the fuel supplement it charges guests. The revised fuel supplement will apply to bookings made throughout the world on or after May 1, 2008, onboard three Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises.

For first and second guests in a stateroom, the revised fuel supplement will be $8 (U.S.D.) per-person, per-day, and no more than $112 (U.S.D.) per person, per cruise. Additional guests in a stateroom will be charged $3 (U.S.D.) per person, per day, and no more than $42 (U.S.D.) per person, per cruise.

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Royal Caribbean Intl Announces 2009-10 Caribbean Cruise Season, Offering Most Innovative Ships Afloat

MIAMI, April 22 – Consistently pleasant weather, beautiful beaches and rich cultures make the Caribbean a rejuvenating and enriching region for a tropical getaway or a family cruise vacation. For the 2009-10 cruise season, Royal Caribbean Intl will offer 31 distinct itineraries on 264 sailings, ranging from six to 14 nights. Vacationers can choose departures aboard nine of the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ships from the ports of Miami, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral, FL; Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ; Galveston, TX; San Juan, PR; and Colon, Panama.

“Royal Caribbean offers vacationers a wide range of Caribbean cruises departing from seven convenient homeports,” said Alice Norsworthy, senior vice president, Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. “We continue our legacy of delivering exhilarating Caribbean experiences in one of the world’s most spectacular destinations with some of the best ships in the industry geared for family and active vacations.”

Vacationers can choose year-round departures to the Caribbean from the ports of Miami, Port Canaveral, Cape Liberty, and San Juan. Freedom of the Seas debuts at Port Canaveral in May 2009 as the largest and most innovative cruise ship in the port’s history. The Freedom-class cruise ship will sail alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, replacing Voyager-class Mariner of the Seas, which will depart for its new homeport of Los Angeles in January 2009.

Unlike any other vacation experience, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class of ships exclusively feature amenities that have revolutionized the industry, such as the FlowRider surf simulator, the H20 Zone water park, a boxing ring, cantilevered whirlpools, and the four-bedroom/four-bath Presidential Family Suite. With eight restaurants and more than 15 bars and lounges, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Independence of the Seas offer guests more ways to enjoy a memorable Caribbean cruise vacation.

From Miami, Liberty will sail alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries in the summer 2009 season, but changes to two alternating Western Caribbean itineraries in the winter. Liberty’s traditional Western Caribbean itinerary will alternate with a new Western Caribbean itinerary in November, which includes ports of call at Belize City, Belize; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.

Adventure of the Seas will homeport year-round at San Juan, offering two new alternating seven-night Southern Caribbean itineraries with Sunday departures, while Serenade of the Seas will join Adventure in the winter and offer a Saturday departure. New ports of call at Grenada, Dominica and St. Croix for both ships, and additionally Tortola and St. Kitts for Serenade, create two back-to-back voyages with no repeat calls. The distinct alternating itineraries of either ship will give vacationers the opportunity to combine two sailings into an extended 14-night Southern Caribbean odyssey.

Additional winter season highlights include the following itineraries:
--Independence of the Seas will sail six-night Western Caribbean and eight-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries from Port Everglades, giving vacationers a choice of six Caribbean itineraries aboard one of three Freedom-class ships.
--Explorer of the Seas will continue its third consecutive year-round deployment at Cape Liberty sailing Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries, ranging from eight to 12 nights. A special 14-night holiday cruise departs December 20, 2009.
--Voyager of the Seas will return to Galveston, TX in December 2009 to offer two alternating Western Caribbean itineraries, one new, featuring calls at Roatán, Honduras, and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.
--Jewel of the Seas will sail 10- and 11-night Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises from Miami. On a very special holiday sailing, Jewel will make a maiden call on Christmas Eve at the new Jamaican cruise port of Falmouth.
--Enchantment of the Seas will return to Colon, Panama to offer seven-night Southern Caribbean cruises to Colombia and the ABC Islands. Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line to homeport in Colon.

Onboard every Royal Caribbean ship, guests enjoy complimentary 24-hour room service, award-winning Broadway-style musical revues from Royal Caribbean Productions, top-rated Adventure Ocean kids programming with teen-only spaces fleetwide, and Royal Caribbean’s Gold Service Standard of friendly and engaging service from staff and crew.

On many Western Caribbean itineraries, guests also enjoy a call at Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private beach destination along the northwestern coast of Haiti. Labadee’s features a wide variety of watersports and excursions, a craft market, Labadee Luc’s Splash Bash pirate water park, and the Dragon’s Breath Flight Line, the world’s longest zip line over water at 2,600 ft.

Booking for Royal Caribbean’s 2009-10 Caribbean cruises open this week. For additional information or to make reservations, call your travel agent, visit www.royalcaribbean.com or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.

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Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. & TUI AG Complete Joint Venture for TUI Cruises

MIAMI & HANOVER, Germany, April 22 -- Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd. and TUI AG today announced that they have successfully closed on their joint venture to form TUI Cruises, a cruise line specifically designed to serve the German cruise market.

"We look forward to working with our colleagues at TUI AG to build a world class cruise line for Germany," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "TUI Cruises is another strategic step in our efforts to meet the growing global demand for cruising."

"Our partnership with Royal Caribbean will help us bring the very best cruises to our fellow countrymen," said Dr. Michael Frenzel, chief executive officer of TUI AG. "We expect TUI Cruises to be a central player in Germany's fast growing cruise market."

TUI Cruises will be based in Hamburg, Germany, and Richard J. Vogel, a long time cruise industry executive, will serve as chief executive. The new cruise line will begin service with one ship in early 2009. Sales and marketing activities will begin in the coming months.

The companies announced their intentions to form TUI Cruises on December 10, 2007. On March 10, 2008, they received permission to move forward from European antitrust regulators. Each company holds a 50 percent interest in the joint venture. TUI Cruises will meet the needs of German-speaking customers seeking a premium cruise experience. The onboard product will be custom-tailored to German tastes, and encompass food, entertainment and amenities. German will be the language used onboard.

Further details regarding the brand's first ship and the TUI Cruises product will be revealed at an April 29 press event in Hamburg. TUI AG is Europe's leading travel and shipping group. TUI AG holds the majority stake in Europe's leading travel group, London-based TUI Travel PLC. The corporation operates Hapag-Lloyd, the world's fifth-largest container shipping company, and, through Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, also runs the leading German cruise line company in the luxury and expedition segment.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Cruises and CDF Croisieres de France. The company has a combined total of 38 ships in service and six under construction. It also offers cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Latin and South America and New Zealand. Additional information can be found on www.royalcaribbean.com, www.celebrity.com, www.pullmantur.es, www.azamaracruises.com, or www.rclinvestor.com.

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Holland America Line's 2008 Europe Collectors' Voyages
Offer Best Value for Money

SEATTLE, April 17 -- With the U.S. dollar continuing to weaken abroad, Holland America Line has developed a series of 27 Europe Collectors' Voyages in 2008 that caters to those guests who want to take an extended vacation while getting the most out of their money. The cruises combine intriguing ports with non-repeating itineraries and offer special pricing, making them all the more enticing to those who want a unique adventure without breaking the bank. While the appeal of a longer voyage attracts many guests to book a Collectors' Voyage, the itinerary is the ultimate hook for most travelers. Holland America Line recently won Best Cruise Line in Europe in "Travel Weekly's" 2007 Readers Choice Awards, solidifying their spot at the top of the cruise industry.

"Europe continues to grow in popularity as a vacation destination as more travelers realize the unparalleled value of a European cruise paid for in American dollars," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs for Holland America Line. "We pride ourselves on offering the most diverse and unique cruises in the industry, and the 'Travel Weekly' award reaffirms our position as the leader in Europe cruising and longer voyages."

More time, sights with Collectors' Voyages
Guests wishing to capitalize on the Collectors' Voyage can take advantage of 27 departure dates on 10 different itineraries aboard ms Eurodam, ms Noordam, ms Zuiderdam and ms Prinsendam. These special sailings range from 20 to 30 days and enable guests to visit as many as 16 ports on a 30-day voyage. The extended cruises also allow for convenient, one-time unpacking, leaving guests free to enjoy the sights of a new port each day without the hassle or expense of relocating to a new hotel and catching a motorcoach, train or flight.

Unique perspectives on Europe Itineraries
Noordam sails to Europe arriving on April 22 for the first of 11 departures on the 20-day Collectors' Voyages, "Mediterranean Adventure" or "Mediterranean Mosaic." Both combine the 10-day "Roman Empire" and "Mediterranean Enchantment" cruises that cover the eastern and western Mediterranean and visit an impressive nine countries, including Croatia, Greece, Tunisia and Italy.

Zuiderdam spends its first season in Europe with a series of three new 12-day Mediterranean itineraries beginning April 26 that combine into two 24-day Collectors' Voyages: "Classical Worlds" and "Magic of the Mediterranean." Departing from Venice, Italy, or Barcelona, Spain, each of the nine available sailings features at least two overnight stays: one in Venice and another in either Istanbul or Barcelona, depending on the itinerary.

Guests looking for a different take on Europe may wish to board Prinsendam for three Collectors' Voyages, including the longest of the season--the 30-day "Ultimate Northern Europe" cruise June 17 from Amsterdam to London that takes the ship to 13 countries throughout Scandinavia and Great Britain. "Gironde Estuary and Kiel Canal" is a 25-day journey departing May 23 from Lisbon to Amsterdam and features the best of the Baltic, Spain and France.

Eurodam, the newest ship in the Holland America fleet, officially kicks off its inaugural Europe season July 5 with four Collectors' Voyages. "Dazzling Debut" and "Signature Sojourn" offer three departures on a 20-day odyssey round-trip from Copenhagen, Denmark. During the cruise, guests discover the stunning natural landscapes of northern Europe, as well as cover port favorites from Invergordon, Scotland, to St. Petersburg, Russia. "Viking Worlds" is a 25-day adventure from Copenhagen to New York and follows a northern route from Norway to Iceland and on to Canada before hitting the States.

Maiden ports explored on Collectors' Voyages
A highlight of the Collectors' Voyages is the opportunity to be aboard for the first visit to a new port of call. Nine maiden ports of call are offered by the premium line during the 2008 Europe cruise season. Over half of the 2008 Collector's Voyages will visit one or more of seven of those maiden ports including first season visits to: Lulea, Hudiksvall and Kariskrona in Sweden; Aalborg, Denmark; Split, Croatia; Newcastle upon Tyne and Barrrow in Furness in England.

For a 2008 Europe cruise brochure that includes the Collectors' Voyages or for more information, consult a professional travel agent, call 1-877-724-5425 or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

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NCL To Adjust Fuel Supplement

MIAMI, April 17 – In response to the continued rise in oil prices, NCL Corporation announced today an increase to its current fuel supplement. The new fuel supplement will be $9 per person per day for the first and second guests in a stateroom and $4 per person per day for any additional guests in the same stateroom, based on the guidelines below.

Individual reservations: The increased fuel supplement applies only to new individual reservations made on or after May 1, 2008.

Group reservations: The increased fuel supplement applies to any group reservation booked on or after May 1, 2008. The increased fuel supplement will also apply to group space held prior to May 1, 2008 without specific names and full confirming deposit by April 30, 2008.

"With crude oil and refined product prices at record highs, our fuel bill stands at a level that was unimaginable two years ago," said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. “It is unfortunate, but necessary, that we now have to pass some of the increase in our fuel bill on to our customers, just as many other businesses are being forced to do. We appreciate the understanding of our travel partners and our guests as we make this necessary adjustment.”

NCL Corporation Ltd. is the holding company for various subsidiary companies involved in owning and operating the ships of Norwegian Cruise Line. NCL is building two new Third Generation Freestyle Cruising ("F3") ships for delivery in 2010. NCL today has the youngest fleet in the industry, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of Freestyle Cruising on the newest, most contemporary ships in the market, and has recently added its latest new ship, the 2,400 passenger Norwegian Gem.

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Royal Caribbean Announces 2009-10 Short Bahamas & Caribbean Cruises

MIAMI, April 17 – Short cruises are perfect getaways for those who just can’t get away – or can’t wait – to enjoy a week-long vacation. Royal Caribbean International today announced its short cruises for 2009-10, offering vacationers 18 unique itineraries, ranging from two to five nights, on 306 sailings. Guests can choose departures from Tampa, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades and Miami aboard one of five Royal Caribbean ships, including Navigator of the Seas, the largest and most innovative cruise ship to be offered for a short cruise, Enchantment of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, and Monarch of the Seas. Bookings open today for these short cruises.

“Short cruises offer everyone a quick respite or a break from the usual, as well as a great way for first-timers to sample cruising in a few days,” said Alice Norsworthy, senior vice president, Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. “Our short cruises conveniently depart year-round from Port Canaveral and Miami, and seasonally from Tampa and Port Everglades. On short Bahamas cruises, our guests also enjoy a full day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island paradise.”

Navigator of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas together offer year-round choices for vacationers to escape to the Caribbean. From May 2009, Enchantment of the Seas will offer 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean itineraries for the summer season from Port Everglades, which include a feature-call at Key West. From November 2009, Navigator begins its third consecutive winter season serving South Florida, sailing similar Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami. Navigator is a Voyager-class ship, which was first to offer guests an ice-skating rink, the line’s iconic rock-climbing wall, a nine-hole mini-golf course, and the Royal Promenade – a boulevard lined with shops, restaurants, bars and lounges that runs nearly the length of the ship.

For a quick escape from the everyday, Majesty of the Seas gives vacationers with little time a chance to rejuvenate on a 3- or 4-night Bahamas cruise sailing from Miami. Majesty’s 3-night short itinerary also offers the most ports of call of any cruise line. Having replaced the former Sovereign of the Seas in autumn 2008, Monarch of the Seas also will sail similar short itineraries and begin its first full-year deployment in 2009 at Port Canaveral. On either ship, guests will call at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas.

Vacationers along the Gulf Coast also can enjoy a short 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruise aboard Grandeur of the Seas. Sailing conveniently from the Port of Tampa to the popular beach destinations of Belize City, Cozumel and Progreso, Grandeur also will return to Costa Maya, docking at the newly constructed pier, which replaced the one destroyed by Hurricane Dean in 2007.

For additional information or to make reservations, call your travel agent, visit www.royalcaribbean.com or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.

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Royal Caribbean Takes Delivery of Independence of the Seas

MIAMI, April 17 – Continuing its legacy of creating revolutionary vacation experiences, Royal Caribbean Intl took delivery of its newest innovative ship, Independence of the Seas, during a ceremony at Aker Yards in Turku, Finland, today. Just days away from her debut in Europe, Independence of the Seas, is the third of the line’s Freedom class of ships and will be the largest cruise ship ever to be home-ported in Europe, when she sails out of Southampton, UK, for her inaugural season. Independence shares the title of world’s largest and most innovative cruise ship with sister-ships Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, which launched in the U.S. in May 2006 and 2007 respectively, and which offer Caribbean cruises from Miami, Florida.

In the first nationwide search of its kind in the United Kingdom, Royal Caribbean is bestowing the title of Godmother of Independence of the Seas to an ordinary woman who has done extraordinary things to further the well being of youth in her community. The four Godmother finalists, who were nominated by peers or family members, joined Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. chairman and CEO, Richard Fain at Aker Yards, to welcome Independence into service. The four finalists are Barbara Natasegra, Elizabeth Hill, Madeleine Henry and Sue Stones. The Godmother, who will be announced on April 18, will be selected by a distinguished panel of judges, Royal Caribbean executives and guest judges. She will have the honor of participating in the inaugural celebrations and official naming ceremony in Southampton on April 30.

“We are delighted to welcome Independence of the Seas to our fleet and to introduce her to vacationers throughout the United Kingdom and Europe,” said Adam Goldstein, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Positioning one of our largest and newest ships in Southampton reaffirms Royal Caribbean’s strong commitment to the region and will provide the opportunity for more European guests to experience the distinctive and award-winning vacation our brand has become recognized for throughout the world.”

Following a series of preview sailings in Oslo, Norway and Southampton, Independence will embark on her maiden voyage on May 2. Through the summer of 2008, she will sail 14-night ‘Mediterranean Treasures’ and ‘Italian Mediterranean’ itineraries round-trip from Southampton. Ports of call include Gibraltar.; Barcelona, Malaga, Vigo and Seville, Spain; Nice and Cannes/Monte Carlo, France; Florence/Pisa and Sardinia, Italy; and Lisbon, Portugal. Guests also can enjoy two, four-night getaways from Southampton to Cork, Ireland and St. Peter Port, Channel Islands. Three, 11-night Canary Islands itineraries, also roundtrip from Southampton, will close the fall season, calling on Madeira, Portugal; Tenerife, Las Palmas and Lanzarote, Canary Islands; and Vigo, Spain. Independence then heads to the United States to begin a series of warm weather Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. starting in Nov 2008.

At 160,000 GRT and a capacity of 3,634 guests, Independence of the Seas features all of the industry-first amenities which are trademarks of the Freedom-class ships: a FlowRider surf simulator; the H20 Zone water park with its interactive sculpture garden for families; cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 ft. above the ocean in the adults-only Solarium; a full-size boxing ring and a 14-person family suite. Unlike her sister-ships, all pools and the water park on Independence will be heated. Independence also will feature some of the other distinctive offerings the global cruise line is known for including, an ice-skating rink; a rock-climbing wall; an award-winning children’s program; fine to casual dining venues; Broadway-style entertainment and the Royal Promenade – an entertainment boulevard stretching the length of the ship with its shops, restaurants, bars and lounges, which provides guests with an endless variety of choices and experiences to suit their taste and preference. For additional information or to make reservations, call your travel agent, visit www.royalcaribbean.com or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.

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Early Booking Amenities Available Until May 31 for Holland America Line's 2009 Grand Voyages

SEATTLE, April 16 -- In 2009, three Holland America Line ships, ms Rotterdam, ms Prinsendam and ms Amsterdam, will offer four distinct Grand Voyages ranging from 50 to 117 days that span the globe. Guests who make full-cruise reservations by May 31, 2008, will be privy to a host of early booking amenities to enhance their cruise experience. Early Booking Amenities vary depending on cruise and cabin category, and may include first-class or economy air, limo or Motorcoach transfers, shipboard credit, pre-paid gratuities, luggage delivery, an exclusive shore side event, initial in-suite bar set-up and a bottle of champagne.

"Early booking amenities are our way of thanking the full-cruise guests for choosing to spend an extended period of time with us," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs for Holland America Line. "The Grand Voyages grow more popular every year, and the incredible amenities encourage guests to book early so they get the cabin of their choice and don't miss out on the entire adventure."

Guests can choose from four Grand Voyages in 2009: Rotterdam's Grand World Voyage departing Jan. 19, the Grand South America Voyage departing Jan. 2 and the Grand Mediterranean Voyage departing March 11 aboard Prinsendam, and Amsterdam's Grand Australia and New Zealand cruise departing Sept. 26.

Grand World Voyage: Rotterdam sails a 117-day westbound route Jan. 19 from Los Angeles, Calif., through the Pacific Ocean to the Hawaiian Islands, on to the South Pacific, Australia, Asia and Africa before making calls in the Caribbean en route back to Fort Lauderdale and New York. Calling at 39 ports in 27 countries across five continents, Rotterdam will cover more than 35,100 nautical miles while sailing on 15 different oceans, seas, bays, channels and straits.

Grand South America: Prinsendam departs Jan. 2 on a 68-day South America and Antarctica cruise round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. During the voyage, the ship will circumnavigate South America and spend seven days exploring the Amazon River. On the other end of the continent, Prinsendam spends three days cruising Antarctica, a rare journey for most travelers. On this Grand Voyage, the ship will visit 32 ports of call in 14 countries, including an impressive total of 13 different ports in Brazil.

Grand Mediterranean: For guests who always have wanted to explore Europe without flying, Prinsendam departs Fort Lauderdale March 11 for a 50-day round-trip cruise to the Mediterranean and Black Sea. After calls at Caribbean ports, the ship sails eastbound across the Atlantic where 25 centuries of history, art and culture await. After a European encounter, the ship sails westward back across the Atlantic, calling at Bermuda before the cruise ends in either New York or Fort Lauderdale.

Grand Australia & New Zealand: Guests begin their 67-day voyage aboard Amsterdam Sept. 26 from Seattle, Wash., and sail westward toward the South Pacific. After visiting island jewels throughout the tropical region, Amsterdam continues on to Cairns, Australia, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Then, following three full days in bustling Sydney, the 1,380-passenger ship heads to New Zealand. Amsterdam returns to Los Angeles via Hawaii Dec. 2.

On the Grand Voyages, local fare is often featured on the menu and theme nights reflecting the sailing region ensure that guests are immersed in the different cultures on each itinerary. For guests who want to brush up on the history and background of their sailing destinations, Holland America Line sends out a list of suggested reading materials prior to Grand Voyage departures. Additional highlights on the Grand Voyages include special themed balls such as the "Sweethearts Ball" on Valentine's Day and "Green and White Ball" on St. Patrick's Day, pillow gifts on each segment and an exclusive shore-side event including a grand dinner in a select port of call.

While on board, guests also will enjoy Holland America's award-winning style of service. Culinary staff and guest chefs will lead cooking classes and demonstrations in the onboard Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine, and, as part of the Explorations Speaker Series, special guest lecturers will sail on segments of the Grand Voyages to offer unique and enriching perspectives on regional art, history and culture. The Explorations Cafe--powered by the New York Times--enables guests to stay connected to loved ones. To rest up for the next day, guests are assured a good night's sleep with the Mariner's Dream stateroom amenities, including luxurious beds and linens.

When in port, guests can choose from a multitude of diverse shore excursions including the exclusive Medallion Collection featuring Overland Adventures; Signature Collection private-car touring; visits to natural, architectural and technical masterpieces from the Wonders of the World Collection; and rare and unusual experiences with the Encore Collection excursions. For a 2009 Grand Voyages cruise brochure or for more information, consult a professional travel agent, call 1-800-522-3399 or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

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Pride of Aloha Rescues Shipwrecked Dog

HONOLULU, April 16 – NCL America’s Pride of Aloha returned today to Honolulu from a 12-day Hawai`i cruise with one extra guest – an eight-month old cocker spaniel named Snickers. Working in conjunction with the Hawaiian Humane Society, NCL America officials made arrangements for the abandoned dog to be picked up by the ship during its planned stop in Fanning Island on April 9, 2008.

Snickers spent the last four months on Fanning Island. In December 2007, the Darla Jean, a 48 ft. motor sailor washed up on Fanning Island after spending 95 days drifting across the Pacific. On board were the boat owners and their pet dog, Snickers. After spending two weeks on Fanning Island, the owners returned to their home in California on an interisland supply ship, but Snickers wasn’t able to accompany them and he was left on the island.

After hearing Snickers’ story, Las Vegas, Nevada resident Jack Joslin called the Hawaiian Humane Society for help in getting the dog off Fanning Island. The Humane Society contacted NCL America and asked for assistance in rescuing Snickers. Following a stop in Honolulu, the dog will be flown to his new owner in Las Vegas.

“We are pleased that we could help bring Snickers back to the United States,” said Alan Yamamoto, NCL America’s vice president of Hawai`i operations.

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Short But Oh, So Sweet: Celebrity Cruises To Reprise Four- and Five-Night Caribbean Sailings in 2009

MIAMI, April 15 -- Celebrity Cruises' 4- and 5-night Caribbean sailings are perfect getaways for guests who crave a taste of the line's signature service with style and the spectacular sunsets of the Caribbean. The line's 2009-2010 winter Caribbean season will feature, for the third consecutive year, a series of these sailings on the recently refurbished Celebrity Century. From December 12, 2009 through April 22, 2010, Celebrity Century will sail a total of 29 short Western Caribbean itineraries, departing from Miami, Florida, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Each itinerary features two ports of call; these include Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; and Key West, Florida. These voyages opened for sale today.

Onboard the 1,814-guest Celebrity Century, guests can enjoy all the enhancements made when the ship underwent a $55-million makeover in 2006. These upgrades included the addition of 314 new verandas, 14 new suites, 10 new staterooms ranging from inside to veranda categories, and an expanded number of ConciergeClass category staterooms. Celebrity also expanded its AquaSpa, added the specialty restaurant, Murano, refurbished the main dining room, created the first ice bar at sea, and enhanced the bedding in staterooms.

In port, guests can experience the delights of the Caribbean through a variety of shore and land excursions, such as "Temazcal Mayan Steamlodge Experience" in Cozumel, which includes a shaman-guided ritual reflective of those that the ancient Mexicans would perform; "Chukka Ultimate Adventure" in Ocho Rios, which offers a horseback ride along the White River, river innertubing, a Jamaican lunch and a hike; or "Taste of Key West," a guided walking tour through the town's colorful gardens and historic buildings, with delectable treats included.

To learn more about Celebrity's 2009-2010 short Caribbean sailings, guests are encouraged to visit www.celebritycruises.com. Guests also can tour Celebrity Century at www.cruisecentury.com. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.

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Royal Caribbean Unveils First Architectural Marvel Onboard
Project Genesis Ship

MIAMI, April 15 -- For complete details and illustrations, see CruiseDiva.com's article at Royal Caribbean's Project Genesis. Count on CruiseDiva.com for future reports.

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Holland America Line Celebrates 135 Years in Business in April 2008

SEATTLE, April 15 -- World's leading premium cruise line Holland America Line celebrates its 135 year anniversary in April 2008, marking more than a century of evolution for the once cargo and passenger line to the full-fledged modern cruise company it is today. Throughout its history, Holland America Line has carried more than 10 million passengers from Europe to the New World and to vacation destinations across the globe.

"Today's Holland America Line brings together the past and the present as a modern cruise company," said Stein Kruse, president and chief executive officer. "We carry forth the strong traditions of the past, especially those of hard work and putting our guests and their shipboard experience first and foremost in everyone's minds. This is emphasized through our mission statement of creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences every time. Our company boasts a proud heritage of seafaring and brave actions throughout our history. This includes carrying cargo and immigrants across the Atlantic, service to the allies during two world wars at a cost of many lives and ships, and helping to rebuild Europe after those wars."

Holland America Line has been headquartered in Seattle, Wash., since 1983 and last year reopened a sales and marketing office in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the birthplace of the company on April 18, 1873, as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company (Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij).

Through the years Holland America Line has changed much more than its name. It has been a cargo line shipping goods from Europe on vessels powered by steam and sail. It has transported thousands of immigrants to the United States and Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It has supported the allies cause during two world wars and suffered the loss of its ships. Following the war, Holland America Line sailed through the golden age of cruising, transporting well-to-do travelers on ocean crossings of the Atlantic. With the advent jet airplanes, the company remade itself once again by offering cruise vacations to exciting worldwide destinations, yet it still carried cargo on some ships.

Through the early seventies, the company was the first to establish schools in Indonesia and the Philippines to train future employees thereby making its shipboard service renowned in the industry. Purchased by Carnival Corporation in 1989, the company grew to new heights, embarking upon a shipbuilding path that saw the introduction of 13 new vessels to the line's fleet so far.

In 2003 the company embarked upon its Signature of Excellence initiative to focus on product enhancements in accommodations, service, dining, itinerary development and enrichment programs and activities. Totaling more than $425 million, Signature of Excellence enhancements added features such as the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine--a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes--Explorations Cafe powered by The New York Times, teens-only activity areas and all new stateroom amenities highlighted by flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top Mariner's Dream Beds.

Holland America Line is recognized today as the leader in the cruise industry's premium segment. Holland America Line's fleet of 13 ships offers nearly 500 cruises to 314 ports of call in 97 countries, territories or dependencies. A 14th ship, the 2,104-guest ms Eurodam, will be delivered in June 2008. Two- to 108-day itineraries visit all seven continents, including Antarctica, South America, Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; a Grand World Voyage; and popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Europe and Panama Canal. For more information, see the line's website at www.hollandamerica.com.

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The Votes Are In: Princess Crowns "The Greatest Romantic"

Santa Clarita, CA, April 15 - After a nationwide search by Princess Cruises asking "Are You the Greatest Romantic?," father of four and minister Phil Roberts of Lexington, Ky. was crowned with the title after nearly 100 romantic hopefuls across the country submitted heartfelt videos nominating themselves or someone in their lives for the honor. The line's Department of Romance experts narrowed the field to five finalists, and then thousands of people voted for their favorite entry.

Roberts personally received the news this morning from "Love Boat" star Gavin MacLeod ("Captain Stubing"), who is also part of Princess' Department of Romance. "I was shocked and amazed when I picked up the phone this morning," said Roberts. "First, I was so excited to win the contest and I'm truly touched that America felt my video and story was romantic enough to receive this honor. Then, to hear Gavin MacLeod on the other end giving me the good news - I was stunned! The entry deadline was the 10-year anniversary of my proposal to my wife Lisa, and what better way to honor this special memory than to win a contest that helped me pay tribute to my wife and family."

Roberts' winning entry, which he titled "The Greatest Romantic???," received a large majority of the votes. In the cleverly produced video, Roberts nominated himself with a creative and touching poem narrated by his 3-year-old daughter, Ashley. The 37-year-old shared the ups-and-downs and joys of his nine-year marriage to his wife, Lisa, and said that romance has always been the core of their relationship. After learning that Lisa had always dreamt of becoming engaged at the ocean, Roberts created a beach scene in his apartment in Ohio, complete with a thousand pounds of sand, stars in the sky and a fluorescent beach scene painted on the walls. Roberts' video can be seen at www.princess.com/romance.

With four children, the Roberts don't get a lot of opportunities for date nights. But one way that they spend quality and rewarding time together is through monthly meetings with families of premature babies at the Lexington Ronald McDonald House. Their work also supports their charity, Project Seashore (www.projectsseashore.org), created in memory of their daughter, Emily, who passed away at birth. Winning this Princess cruise will be their first real vacation without their children.

"I just loved Phil's video and his story, and I'm so glad the public felt the same way," said MacLeod. "His entry had it all - it was touching, emotional, creative and truly romantic."

After Roberts is officially inducted into Princess' Department of Romance, his story, advice and podcast will be featured on www.princess.com/romance. In addition to becoming one of the line's romance ambassadors, he will also receive a 7-day cruise for two to the Caribbean or the Mexican Riviera, so he can truly celebrate with the love of his life.

Long known as a leader in romance, Princess has been offering romantic cruise vacations around the world for more than 40 years. Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.

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Silversea Cruises Renews Agreement With Culinary Partner Relais & Châteaux

Ft. Lauderdale, FL, April 15 -- Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises announced today it has renewed its culinary and marketing partnership with Relais & Châteaux, the prestigious international association of boutique hotels and fine dining restaurants, through 2009.
Highlighting the partnership, now in its eighth year, will be the creation of new signature dishes for La Collection du Monde, a sampling of specialty dishes featured regularly on all Silversea cruises created through the collaboration of Jacques Thorel, Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux of L'Auberge Bretonne (La Roche-Bernard, Brittany) and Silversea's own master chefs.

Other enhancements will include new wine-inspired menus for Silversea's Wine Restaurant by Relais & Châteaux, new cross-marketing initiatives, and the development of programs to ensure the highest quality gourmet dining experience for Silversea guests. Both organizations will work closely together to design a collection of unique shore experiences with a culinary and wine focus.

A cornerstone of the alliance is Silversea's popular Culinary Arts program, showcasing the culinary artistry of Relais & Châteaux Grand Chefs. Under the agreement, Silversea guests can expect to see additional new rising stars from Relais & Châteaux join an already impressive roster of acclaimed guest chefs that includes such luminaries as Anne Desjardins of L'Eau à La Bouche (Ste-Adèle, Québec) and Eyvind Hellstrøm of Bagatelle (Oslo).

In addition to informative and entertaining cooking demonstrations hosted by the Relais & Châteaux guest chefs, the Culinary Arts enrichment voyages also feature escorted provisioning trips to international markets (when the itinerary permits), food and wine pairings, creative regional dishes, and a five-course grand gourmet dinner. Throughout these special voyages, the featured guest chef and Silversea’s executive chef are on hand to share their culinary expertise and answer any questions.

"We are very pleased with our Relais & Châteaux alliance," said Silversea president and CEO Amerigo Perasso. "Our two organizations share a passion for quality and excellence achieved through exacting standards and this partnership allows us to work together to create new and innovative programs that will further enhance the cruise and dining experience for our guests."

Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of 475 of the finest hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries. Established in France in 1954, the Association's mission is to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character. Furthermore, Relais & Châteaux is also a family of hoteliers and Grands Chefs from all over the world who share a passion for, and a personal commitment to, ensuring their guests are privy to moments of exceptional harmony.

For more information on Silversea Cruises, please contact a travel agent. For a complimentary brochure, please call toll-free (877) 215-9986 or visit www.silversea.com.

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Majestic America Line Pays Tribute to the Legendary Delta Queen

SEATTLE, April 14 -- Majestic America Line, one of the world's premier river cruise lines and the largest river and coastal cruising company in America, is proud to pay tribute to the Delta Queen by celebrating this historic landmark during her 2008 season with guests and the communities that hold her storied tradition of sailing the waterways of the United States so dear. A beloved fixture of America's rivers, 176-guest Delta Queen is a registered historic treasure of the Department of the Interior and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She is also a National Historic Landmark and a member of the National Maritime Hall of Fame.

Efforts continue to extend the Congressional exemption allowing Delta Queen to continue to operate cruise voyages on the river past October 31, 2008. Majestic America Line has been hard at work through lobbyists, Congressional visits, grass roots efforts and other activities to extend the Congressional exemption. Information on the "Save the Delta Queen" campaign can be found at www.majesticamericaline.com.

Tributes to communities that the Delta Queen visits will be conducted on special dates during selected sailings of the season and feature a presentation to each city, medley of river music by the Delta Queen Band and remarks by Delta Queen's Captain from the bow of the boat. A calliope concert will follow as Delta Queen departs. Delta Queen cruises April 18 through October 2008, on the Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland rivers. Itineraries include 10-night cruises between Pittsburgh and Nashville, Pittsburgh and St. Louis, as well as Cincinnati and Memphis. Seven-night cruises are offered between St. Louis and Nashville, Cincinnati and Memphis, and Nashville and Cincinnati. A three-night roundtrip Cincinnati cruise includes the Kentucky Derby and a 14-night New Orleans to Cincinnati cruise features the Three Steamboat Race. Special theme cruises include Legends of the River, Remembering the Civil War and Fall Foliage. Limited space is still available aboard Delta Queen on select sailings. Please contact a travel agent or Majestic America Line at 1-800-434-1232 for reservations.

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'Tour de Spin' Cycling Classes Debut Aboard Crystal Ships

LOS ANGELES, April 14 -- Demonstrating an increased commitment to health and fitness, Crystal Cruises is launching "Tour de Spin," a complimentary indoor cycling program that mirrors stages of the Tour de France. The program, inspired by top cyclist Lance Armstrong and led by onboard instructors, will utilize Le Monde Life Fitness Bikes and include three virtual Tour de France rides.

Participation in the program can benefit one's health as well as The Lance Armstrong Foundation, which unites people to fight cancer. Guests who have completed all three rides in the program will receive a yellow Live Strong wrist band courtesy of Crystal's onboard fitness operator, Steiner Leisure. For each wrist band distributed, Steiner Leisure will donate one dollar to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which unites people to fight cancer. Participants will also receive a letter from Lance Armstrong thanking them for their participation.

Beginning mid-April on Crystal Symphony and in May on Crystal Serenity, the classes will be available on all itineraries, and will be offered on every sea day and in port when time allows. The three rides are choreographed to music specifically selected for indoor cycling.

Rides include:

Les Alps: a multi-level profile, which can include flat, medium-mount, and mountain stages;
Time Trial: an interval workout, where cyclists race alone against the clock;
Alp D'Huez: a mind-body climb, maximizing guests' cycling potential.

"Our guests are health-conscious, active individuals looking for the very latest in sophisticated fitness classes and equipment, and we are thrilled to add yet another option to our roster," says Thomas Mazloum, Crystal's senior vice president, hotel operations. "This program allows them to participate in something that benefits their own health, as well as a worthy foundation."

Crystal's two ships, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, are equipped with Fitness Centres complete with panoramic ocean views and state-of-the-art equipment including LifeFitness® treadmills with individual flat screen televisions, elliptical trainers, recumbent and upright life cycles and steppers, strength-training equipment, free weights and a Pilates Reformer® machine. Daily exercise classes include yoga and personal training sessions. Crystal's Walk-on-Water program features the WALKVEST® Training System, which revolutionizes walking simply by adding resistance (added weight) to your walk. Fresh fruit, fresh fish, creative salads, low-calorie and low-carb meals add to the completely trans fat-free dining experience available throughout the ships.

This year, the line is also hosting renowned medical experts from the Cleveland Clinic, one of the nation's most respected academic medical research centers, who will speak to guests about the latest trends and treatments on a variety of topics, from cardiovascular disease to wellness through mind, body and spirit.

The Crystal Difference: Aboard the ultra-luxurious Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, refined elegance meets casual simplicity. With an emphasis on innovative product differentiation, the renowned Crystal experience is distinguished by classic service, abundant space, extensive choices and superior quality, providing worldwide vacations of seven to 100+ days that bridge the best of land and sea. For additional information and Crystal reservations, please contact a travel agent or call 888-799-4625. Visit the luxury line's website at www.crystalcruises.com.

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Norwegian Cruise Line Offers New Shore Excursions, Private Tours for 2008 Alaska Season

MIAMI, April 14 – Take off in a high-speed jet boat, see dramatic views of glaciers aboard a floatplane and take in the awe-inspiring Yukon with Norwegian Cruise Line’s new 2008 Alaska shore excursions. Guests also have the opportunity to explore Alaska’s natural beauty in a more personalized setting with NCL’s Freestyle Private Touring via boat, chauffer driven hummer, rugged luxury SUV, classic floatplane or Alaskan skiff – all exclusive to NCL. The new tour options add to NCL’s extensive shore excursion program which offers guests a total of 160 Alaska excursions in 2008. Guests can depart from Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, British Colombia from April through September 2008 on one of three dazzling Freestyle Cruising ships – Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Star or Norwegian Sun.

“We are always in search of new ways for our guests to experience all Alaska has to offer,” said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. “In addition to our wide range of shore excursions, we are now offering NCL’s exclusive Freestyle Private Tours that allow guests an up close look at the culture, wildlife and natural beauty of this destination.”

Freestyle Private Touring in Alaska: With NCL exclusive private touring, guests can reserve a tour guide into Alaska’s wilderness and history for an unparalleled, personalized experience:

Juneau, Alaska

-- Wild Coast Exploration by Private Boat: (NCL exclusive) A private, expedition-style catamaran is the perfect vehicle for exploring this region’s ice-hewn fjords and rugged coasts. The captain and expedition naturalist will assist in designing a unique cruise adventure.
-- Chauffeur-Driven Hummer: (NCL exclusive) Experience Juneau on your own terms and on your own schedule. A la carte options include private Glacier View Sea Kayaking, a visit to the Shrine of St. Therese, patroness of Alaska, and an exclusive Historic Gold Mining and Panning tour to Last Chance Basin.

Ketchikan, Alaska

-- Alaskan Skiff: (NCL exclusive) Get closer to the beauty of Alaska aboard a private skiff. Fish some of the world’s most abundant waters, scout for wildlife, or hike the ancient rainforest.
-- Rugged Luxury SUV: (NCL exclusive) This completely customizable tour allows guests to see Alaska in the comfort of a luxury SUV with a private tour guide.
-- Classic Floatplane: (NCL exclusive) Breathtaking views of southeast Alaska are seen via this floatplane tour. An expert local pilot takes guests beyond the ordinary to remote areas seldom seen by visitors. During the flight guests enjoy enlightening two-way communication with the pilot while flying over Misty Fjords National Monument, 2.3 million acres of natural, untouched landscape.
-- An Alaskan Chef’s Table: (NCL exclusive) Discover the unique flavors, culture and people of Alaska during this exclusive epicurean experience. A personal chef serves a five-course tasting menu, choreographed to highlight Alaska's sustainable, wild bounty. Sample hot and cold smoked salmon, spot prawns, king and dungeness crab, saffron-infused bouillabaisse, halibut, salmon and a luscious dessert.

Breathtaking Shore Excursions: NCL’s new shore excursions offer perfect options for seasoned sightseers, fun-seeking families, and bold explorers:

Juneau, Alaska

-- Rainforest Garden & City Attractions: Drive through Juneau’s historic downtown district and past the State Capitol Building. Tour the exquisite atrium at Glacier Gardens. Travel through the rainforest, enjoying views of the Mendenhall wetlands, Gastineau Channel and Admiralty Island.

Ketchikan, Alaska

-- City Highlights, Totems & Creek Street: Learn the history and culture of Ketchikan traveling on a festive trolley through its quaint downtown and past boat harbors, City Park and Ketchikan Creek. Then stop to photograph the majestic totem poles and explore Creek Street, the historical “Red Light” district.
-- The Bering Sea, Crab Fisherman’s Tour: Once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience commercial fishing firsthand from the deck of a seasoned vessel while skilled fishermen share stories from the treacherous Bering Sea.
-- Back Country Jet Boat & Totem Adventure: (NCL exclusive) Cruise through the island-studded waters of Clover Pass and Naha Bay aboard a high-speed, fully enclosed jet boat. Have a glimpse of the homes of rural Alaskans practicing the pioneer lifestyle, and visit Potlach Park to see a recreated native Alaskan village and visit the Alaska Totem Trading museum and store.

Prince Rupert, British Columbia

-- Canada’s Wilderness via Floatplane: Fly over lush rainforest, deep valleys,
rugged mountain fjords, cascading waterfalls and spectacular glaciers for dramatic views of Canada’s natural scenery. Spot wildlife such as eagles, mountain goats, seals, porpoises, and whales.

-- Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Viewing: Enter the pristine wilderness of the Khutzeymateen Valley, home to one of the highest concentrations of grizzly bears in North America. Enjoy a safe, pleasurable and unique wilderness experience without intruding on the bear’s natural habitat.

Skagway, Alaska

-- Golden Glassblowing Experience: This unique hands-on opportunity includes a private orientation tour of the spectacular Northern Show Garden and a visit to the Hot Shop to learn the ancient art of working with molten glass and create an original keepsake.
-- Suspension Bridge, White Pass Railway and Scenic Klondike Highway: From an antique parlor car, gaze in awe at the majestic scenery and hear the stories and history of the Klondike Gold Rush.
-- White Pass Railway & Alpine Snow Shoe Hike: This trip combines a ride on the Historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railway with a wilderness trek in the stunning alpine zone of the upper reaches of the Tormented Valley.
-- Garden Glassworks & White Pass Railway: At the Jewell Gardens, hear the tales of this gold rush town while viewing magnificent delphiniums, nasturtiums and begonias. At Garden City Glassworks Theater, watch as a talented glass artist demonstrates the ancient art form. Experience an unforgettable journey aboard the world-famous narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad.
-- Experience the Yukon & Suspension Bridge: Climb the South Klondike Highway to the top of the White Pass 3,292 feet above sea level, take in the awe-inspiring Yukon Suspension Bridge, explore Caribou Crossing, see Tormented Valley and Pitchfork Falls, and visit the new Skagway Sculpture Park.
-- Evening Gold Rush & Salmon Bake: Take a trip to the Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp, located on the outskirts of Skagway, where meals are prepared over an open wood fire using recipes handed down by the women who cooked in the camps and goldfields of 1898. Afterwards, gather at the Liarsville Hippodrome for a performance by a cast of sourdoughs and dancehall girls.

Victoria, British Columbia

-- Gourmet Picnic & Fireworks at Butchart Gardens: Guests will travel from Odgen Point through the scenic countryside and rolling farmlands en route to Butchart Gardens, a Vancouver Island jewel, where they will feast on a gourmet picnic and explore the gardens with fireworks overhead.
-- Butchart Gardens, Wine & Chocolate: Indulge in a romantic evening of wine and chocolate truffles in a truly magical setting at the Church & State Winery.
Twilight Snorkeling Adventure: The diversity of marine life in Victoria's emerald waters allows for an exhilarating snorkeling experience.

All Alaska shore excursions are currently available for pre-reservation. Guests can reserve their tours by logging on to www.ncl.com. As many tours fill up quickly, guests are encouraged to make selections as early as possible.

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Zigging When They Zag: Seabourn Builds Its Future On Small Ships

MIAMI, April 14 -- At a time when cruise lines are building bigger and bigger ships, The Yachts of Seabourn is purposefully bucking the trend, and instead building intimate, yacht-like vessels that will allow it to maintain its position at the top of the ultra luxury segment of the travel industry. Amid all the excitement about whose next ship will be the world's largest, the company's elegant, all-suite Seabourn Odyssey, due to be launched in June of 2009, will extend the company's commitment to providing the sort of highly personalized service and exceptional delivery of destinations that is only possible on small ships. Seabourn Odyssey and the two other new vessels that Seabourn has on order will each carry just 450 guests at double occupancy, where other ultra luxury ships are being designed for up to 750 guests, and the industry's newest mega-ship, once launched, will hold 6,400.

"I think there is a line between a small-ship and a large-ship experience," said Seabourn president & CEO Pamela C. Conover. "We choose not to cross that line," she continued, "because we are committed to providing the sort of individualized experience that is the reason Seabourn guests choose to travel with us. We are building for a particular sort of very discerning traveler who understands the equation between intimacy and luxury."

The new ships, Seabourn Odyssey and her un-named sisters-to-be, will provide among the highest ratios of space per guest in the industry, and they will take advantage of that space to lay on amenities such as an expansive 11,500-square foot indoor/outdoor spa, spread over two decks, that will be the largest on any luxury ship. Ninety percent of the ship's guest accommodations will have private verandas, and the ships will feature four alternative dining venues, again unheard of for ships of this size. But for all their spaciousness, the new Seabourn yachts are designed to engender the relaxed, sociable lifestyle that characterizes life aboard their smaller sisters. Lounges are scaled for informal gathering and conversation, which are also encouraged by Seabourn's all-inclusive fares, which provide complimentary service of beverages including wines and spirits throughout the cruise. Their intimate size will allow them to call at ports and harbors where larger ships cannot follow, giving Seabourn's privileged guests access to the sort of authentic experiences they seek when they travel.

Seabourn Odyssey will begin her maiden season sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Seas, visiting marquee ports such as Venice, Dubrovnik, Istanbul and Yalta, as well as newly-discovered gems including Batumi, Georgia; Sochi, Russia and the Greek Isles of Khyos and Symi. Like her smaller sisters, Odyssey will take advantage of secluded anchorages in Triluke Bay on Croatia's Dalmatian coast and the Greek island of Amorgos to deploy its signature water sports marina, offering guests the pleasure of a day spent enjoying the Seabourn yachting lifestyle in the warm, clear waters, right from their own luxurious craft. For information on Seabourn Odyssey or any of The Yachts of Seabourn, contact your travel agent, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com.

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Cunard Line Celebrates 170th year with New Ports & New Itineraries for
Queen Mary 2 & Queen Victoria's 2009 Schedule

April 10 - Following simultaneous World Cruises in early 2009, Cunard Line's flagship Queen Mary 2 and the new Queen Victoria will celebrate Cunard's 170th year in service by embarking on a series of more than 60 departures calling on over 75 ports in 34 countries. Highlights of the 2009 schedule include additional Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossings (including options to extend or embark a Crossing via Boston) and 11 new Queen Victoria itineraries featuring 18 maiden calls.

"Among the most discerning travelers, Cunard Line holds a special place," says Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line. "It is, without question, the line-of-choice for those who seek a singular blend of elegance and grandeur coupled with a most distinctive history and lineage. Whether they are attracted to the line's collection of intriguing itineraries, unparalleled onboard enrichment programme, legendary White Star Service(tm) or exceptional cuisine that rivals anything on land, our guests know they will be rewarded with one of life's most extraordinary travel experiences."

Queen Mary 2 Highlights
Continuing her reign as the world's grandest ocean liner, Queen Mary 2 will continue to be the line of choice for those travelers who seek the pinnacle in gracious ocean travel and elegant shipboard style. 2009 marks her fifth year of service with a record number of New York departures as well as an extended Transatlantic season with 6-, 8- and 9-day Crossings. In total, she will sail 25 Transatlantic Crossings, including classic six-day voyages between Southampton and New York, two eight-day voyages between Hamburg and New York, one eight-day voyage from Boston via New York to Southampton and one nine-day Crossing from Southampton via New York to Halifax and Boston.

In commemoration of her fifth year in service, Queen Mary 2 will sail her maiden tour of the British Isles with an eight-day Around the British Isles itinerary that will include first-time calls to Liverpool, Glasgow and Cork. In addition to the British Isles voyage, Queen Mary 2's 2009 schedule is also highlighted by her extended European season with voyages in Northern and Southern Europe:

* Voyage of the Vikings, a seven-day roundtrip voyage departing from Southampton on June 6 with calls to Stavanger, Flaam, Hellesylt, Geiranger and Bergen.
* Northern Splendours, an eight-day roundtrip voyage departing from Hamburg on August 7 with calls to Oslo, Stavanger, Bergen, Hellesylt, Geiranger, and Alesund.
* Mediterranean Delights, an 11-day roundtrip voyage departing from Southampton on May 14 with calls to Lisbon, Gibraltar, Rome (Civitavecchia), Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
* Mediterranean Highlights, a 12-day roundtrip voyage departing from Southampton on Sept 14 with calls to Lisbon, Gibraltar, Rome, Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

Guests who wish to skip air travel and luxuriate in an all-at-sea travel experience by sailing roundtrip to Europe from New York, can do so with Cunard's Grand Voyages of 20-24 days. These are available for each of the above itineraries by adding a legendary Transatlantic Crossing to the beginning and end of a voyage, affording guests an extended and more relaxing journey of a lifetime.

In the fall, Queen Mary 2 returns to the Americas, once again taking in the vivid autumn colors of New England and Canada on two seven-day Splendors of Autumn voyages, scheduled Oct 2 and Oct 29. Stops include the quintessential New England and Canadian ports of Boston, MA; Portland, ME; Newport, RI; Halifax, Nova Scotia and St. John, New Brunswick. In addition, the ship will offer two Holiday Getaway voyages coinciding with long holiday weekends: the five-day July 1 Fourth of July Getaway with calls in Halifax and Boston, and the four-day Sept 4 Labor Day Getaway calling on St. John, New Brunswick.

In November and December, Queen Mary 2 will once again sail her fall Caribbean season from New York, and is set to visit many popular sun-drenched ports on four voyages of ten- to 15-days from New York:

* Connoisseur's Caribbean, two 10-day roundtrip voyages departing from New York on Nov 30 and Dec 10 with calls to St. Maarten, Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Thomas.
* Caribbean Delights, a 13-day roundtrip voyage departing from New York on Nov 17 with calls to Cristobal, Curaçao, Grenada, Barbados, St. Kitts and Tortola.
* Caribbean Celebration, a 15-day roundtrip voyage departing from New York on Dec 20 with calls to Grand Turk, Tortola, Curaçao, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Kitts and St. Thomas.

Queen Victoria Highlights
Kicking off her second year at sea, Queen Victoria will offer a wide range of voyages from her home port of Southampton. Her 2009 schedule features 11 new itineraries with 18 maiden calls, including Kristiansand, Norway; Gothenburg, Sweden; Alghero on the Italian Island of Sardinia, and Cephalonia, Greece. Queen Victoria will sail the sunny Mediterranean on eight voyages of 12- to 16-days. They include:

* Mediterranean Medley, two 12-day roundtrip voyages departing from Southampton on April 20 and August 17 with calls to Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Rome (Civitavecchia), Sardinia (Alghero), Mallorca (Palma) and Gibraltar.
* Mediterranean Mosaic, a 12-day roundtrip voyage departing from Southampton on Oct 26 with calls to Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Rome, Corsica, Mallorca and Gibraltar.
* Mediterranean Explorer, a 13-day roundtrip voyage departing from Southampton on June 10 with calls to Barcelona, Cannes, Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Rome, Sardinia, Mallorca and Gibraltar.
* Mediterranean Treasures, two 14-day roundtrip voyages departing from Southampton on May 6 and July 20 with calls to Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon, Palma, Barcelona, Cannes, Rome, Corsica (Ajaccio) and Gibraltar.
* Mediterranean Adventure, a 16-day roundtrip voyage departing from Southampton on Sept 2 with calls to Malaga (for Grenada), Cephalonia, Dubrovnik, Venice, Split, Corfu and Gibraltar.
* Wonders of the Mediterranean, a 16-day roundtrip voyage departing from Southampton on Nov 7 with calls to Malaga, Palermo (Sicily), Dubrovnik, Venice, Split, Corfu and Gibraltar.

In addition, Queen Victoria will sail the picturesque Canaries and the Atlantic Coast on three separate itineraries, including a 16-day holiday season voyage, A Festive Celebration, which sails roundtrip from Southampton on Dec 19 which calls on La Coruna (for Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon, Seville (Cadiz), Gibraltar, Lanazarote, Grand Canaria (Las Palmas), Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), La Palma and Madeira (Funchal). Shorter Canary Islands itineraries include the 10-day Iberian Serenade sailing roundtrip from Southampton on Oct 12 with calls to Vigo, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma and Madeira, and the 12-day Canary Island Explorer, departing roundtrip from Southampton on November 23 with calls to Madeira, La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Lisbon and Vigo.

In July, she will make her maiden voyage to Iceland, visiting nine ports including Akureyri, home of the northernmost golf course in the world, and Reykjavik, the northernmost capital city in the world, on the 13-day Geysers & Glaciers itinerary roundtrip from Southampton. Other port calls include Grundarfjordur, Alesund, Hellesylt, Geiranger, Flaam/Sognefjord, Stavanger and Bergen. Other voyages in the Northern Europe region include:

* Norwegian Wonders, a seven-day roundtrip voyage departing from Southampton on May 20 with calls to Stavanger, Hellesylt, Geiranger, Alesund and Bergen.
* Winter Wonderland, a ten-day roundtrip voyage with overnight stays in both Hamburg and Copenhagen, departing from Southampton on Dec 9 with additional calls to Stavanger, Oslo and Brussels/Bruges (Zeebrugge).
* Baltic Splendours, two 14-day roundtrip voyages departing from Southampton on May 27 and August 3 with calls to Brussels/Bruges, Bremerhaven, Kristiansand, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg (overnight), Tallinn and Gottenburg.
* Land of the Midnight Sun, a 14-day roundtrip voyage departing from Southampton on June 23 with calls to Stavanger, Hellesylt, Geiranger, Honningsvag, North Cape, Ny Alesund (Spitsbergen), Tromso, Andalsnes and Bergen.

Queen Victoria will also offer a set of four Gallic Getaway voyages sailing roundtrip from Southampton with stops in such classic ports as Cherbourg (for Normandy), Rotterdam (for Amsterdam) and Brussels/Bruges. The four-day voyages are scheduled for May 2, Aug 29, Oct 22 and Dec 5. Queen Victoria will make her maiden voyage to New England and Canada in 2009. Her 24-day Autumn Colours voyage stops in such historic seaports as Boston, MA; Newport, RI, Quebec City and Halifax, Nova Scotia, the birthplace of Sir Samuel Cunard.

2009 voyages aboard Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria will be available for booking beginning April 17, 2008. Cunard World Club members receive 5% savings on all voyages. For more information about Cunard's 2009 Voyage Programme on Queen Mary 2 or Queen Victoria, call 1-800-7-CUNARD or go to www.cunard.com.

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Celebrity Cruises Revamps Smoking Policy

MIAMI, April 10 -- Cruise enthusiasts may praise the virtues of "sea air," but to many of them, what matters more is clean air. As more hotels and restaurants worldwide implement stricter smoking policies in order to promote healthier air, Celebrity Cruises also is taking action. Beginning October 1, 2008, guests on Celebrity's ships will enjoy fresher air as a result of a new policy that disallows smoking in Celebrity's staterooms or on stateroom verandas. The policy also will reduce the number of public areas in which guests can smoke onboard.

"We are proud to be the first premium cruise line to set a new standard toward creating an environment of cleaner air on our ships," said Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. "We pay careful attention to what our guests have to say, and approximately 90 percent of them have told us they are non-smokers. By increasing the number of smoke-free areas onboard while still designating areas for those who smoke, our aim is to make the onboard experience as pleasant as possible for all of our guests."

The new policy, created after Celebrity polled past guests, will result in a cleaner, fresher and healthier environment on Celebrity's ships. Designated indoor areas where guests can smoke cigarettes include the port side of one lounge per ship and a designated slot machine area in each ship's casino. The new policy also designates outdoor areas where guests can smoke. These include the port side of the pool deck and sundecks on each ship, the port side of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Century and on Celebrity's Millennium class of ships, and the port side aft outside of Winter Garden on Celebrity Galaxy and Celebrity Mercury. Celebrity's new Solstice class of ships, launching with Celebrity Solstice late this year, will follow the new policy beginning with the first sailing. Celebrity Solstice's Lawn Club and the Sunset Bar at the Lawn Club will not allow smoking. Violations to Celebrity's smoking policy may result in a $250 cleaning fee charged to the guest's onboard account and may also be addressed through the line's guest conduct policy.

The new policy will go into effect on Celebrity's fleet on the first day of the first sailing to follow October 1:

Celebrity Galaxy, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Mercury - October 3 sailings
Celebrity Summit - October 4 sailing
Celebrity Constellation - October 5 sailing
Celebrity Century, Celebrity Millennium - October 6 sailings
Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox - upon ship launch

Celebrity currently allows guests to smoke in staterooms, on stateroom verandas and in a number of indoor and outdoor public spaces. The exception is Celebrity Xpedition, the 92-person mega-yacht sailing year-round in the Galapagos Islands, which operates under a stricter policy than the rest of the fleet, allowing smoking only on the ship's outer decks, in designated areas.

Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscale cruise experiences with highly personalized service, exceptional dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity sails in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South America. The line also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Australia, Canada, Europe and South America. Noted for "The Top Cruise Ships in the World," as voted by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler (February 2008 readers' poll), Celebrity's current fleet will be joined by Celebrity Solstice in 2008, Celebrity Equinox in 2009, Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, and a fourth Solstice-class ship in 2011. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.

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NCL Launches Online Guest Feedback Initiative

MIAMI, April 9 – Furthering its commitment to the guest experience as part of its fleet-wide Freestyle 2.0 initiative, NCL Corporation (NCL) is implementing a new comprehensive guest feedback process. The NCL Guest Experience & Loyalty Scorecard is the new online system to collect, analyze and report guest feedback about the entire cruise experience.

“We are committed to exceeding our guests’ expectations while delivering a superior cruise experience, so having this new guest feedback tool in place is of the utmost importance to our success,” said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. “Guest feedback helped NCL shape the new Freestyle 2.0 cruise experience and we will continue to listen to our guests to measure the delivery and impact of those enhancements, as well as guide future product innovations within Freestyle Cruising.”

Once guests return home from their NCL cruise, they receive an email invitation allowing them to conveniently provide feedback on their entire cruise experience via a post-cruise online survey. The web-based format, which takes the place of the on-board guest comment card, allows NCL to continuously listen to the voice of the guest and integrate that insight into further development of the NCL product and customer strategy.

The scorecard, which will be in place fleet-wide by mid-April, will help measure the impact of the new Freestyle 2.0 enhancements which include a major investment in the total dining experience; upgrading the stateroom experience; new wide ranging on-board activities for guests of all ages; and additional recognition, service and amenities for balcony, suite and villa guests. Norwegian Jade is the first ship to feature Freestyle 2.0. Additional ships will launch Freestyle 2.0 within the following weeks, with fleet-wide roll out implemented by June 1, 2008.

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Regent Seven Seas Cruises to Offer 10th Consecutive Year of
Luxury Cruising in Alaska

FORT LAUDERDALE, April 9 – Regent Seven Seas Cruises will offer the perfect way to vacation in the 49th state in 2008 and 2009 aboard the 700-guest Seven Seas Mariner®, the only all-balcony, all-suite ship sailing in Alaska. Alaska’s most experienced luxury operator, Regent Seven Seas Cruises will be celebrating 10 consecutive years of service in the region in 2009. Because the all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Mariner is a medium-sized ship, it offers guests plenty of open deck space - both private and public - from which to experience Alaska’s natural wonders. Additionally, the “Route of the Glaciers” itineraries offered aboard Seven Seas Mariner provide guests with more of Alaska compared to roundtrip departures from Seattle or Vancouver offered by other cruise lines.

“Seven Seas Mariner offers the perfect blend of all-suite luxury and fine dining to complement the rugged wilderness of Alaska,” stated Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas. “We are extremely pleased to be returning for our tenth year and look forward to many more,” added Conroy.

The 2008-2009 Alaska itineraries include:

- Vancouver, B.C. to Seward, Alaska: A full season of seven-night voyages from Vancouver to Seward through Alaska’s breathtaking Inside Passage, calling at Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Sitka, with scenic cruising through Tracy Arm and past inspiring Hubbard Glacier.
- Seward, Alaska to Vancouver, B.C.: A full season of seven-night journeys through the Inside Passage to visit Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and experience scenic cruising through Tracy Arm and past Hubbard Glacier.
- Vancouver, B.C. Roundtrip: (Sept. 3, 2008 & May 27, 2009) – Sitka, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan with scenic cruising through Tracy Arm and past Hubbard Glacier with one day at sea.

Regent Seven Seas will also offer Alaska visitors a comprehensive choice of pre- and post-cruise hotel and land packages in and around Anchorage, Alaska and Vancouver, Canada.

From Anchorage, in addition to the traditional tours in Denali National Park, Regent also offers a great selection of exclusive packages that encompass wild bear viewing; an in depth visit to Glacier Bay; fishing tours; and a tour to the Arctic Circle. More exclusive tours include a two-night program with private plane transportation, and an exclusive tour to Winter Lake Lodge, famous for its spectacular scenery, award-winning cuisine, gourmet cooking classes and outdoor adventures. Located deep in the heart of Alaska’s wilderness on 15 acres overlooking Winter Lake, the lodge is reached by float plane. Wolverine Mountain, located behind the lodge, offers intriguing hiking and wildlife viewing. Additionally, world-class chef Kristen Dixon welcomes guests into her kitchen at any time.

From Vancouver, B.C., Regent offers a tour to the Canadian Rockies on the fabled Rocky Mountaineer train; a tour that includes the famous Fairmont Chateau Whistler hotel; and a helicopter tour that includes tea at the legendary Empress Hotel in Victoria. In Regent style, also available are pre-and post-cruise packages to the Secret Cove Resort, a luxurious, private oasis nestled among arbutus trees. Guests encamp in a secluded tent house complete with heated slate floors, shoji screens, a king-size bed, panoramic hydrotherapy tub and private veranda overlooking the Malaspina Strait.

Regent offers a myriad collection of shore excursions on all Alaska cruises, ranging from a wilderness sea kayaking program in Sitka to a float plane adventure over Revillagigedo Island in the Tongass National Forest and dog-sledding in Skagway. As always, guests can also customize their experiences ashore by pre-arranging private tours through The Regent Travel ConciergeSM, reachable at 888-TOUR-321.

A special feature of all cruises that begin or end in Seward, Alaska is Regent’s private, exclusive transportation aboard the Grandview Train between Anchorage and Seward. This pre-bookable, four-hour rail journey passes through some of Alaska's most pristine wilderness, and the single-level dome cars are excellent for viewing majestic glaciers, massive ice fields, and wildlife along the route, including Beluga whales, bald eagles and Dall sheep.

Families traveling together are always welcome aboard Regent Seven Seas, as selected Alaska departures will feature the Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Circles of InterestSM program. Created by Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of the famous oceanographer, the program introduces travelers ages 9 to 17 and their families to extraordinary natural wonders while demonstrating imaginative ways to build environmental sustainability into their lives back home. Regent Seven Seas also offers special children’s pricing on four-night Denali National Park programs.

Full details of all 2008 and 2009 Alaska programs, including special offers on select departures, can be found at www.RSSC.com.

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Carnival Splendor: The Ultimate Family Vacation

MIAMI, April 9 – From a 5,500-square-foot play area – the largest in the “Fun Ship” fleet – to a fun-filled water spray park and facilities and activities aimed at youngsters, ’tweens and teens, kids of all ages are sure to have a blast aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ new 113,000-ton Carnival Splendor, set to debut this summer. The largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor is slated to debut July 2, with a special eight-day Europe voyage from Genoa followed by the launch of the line’s first-ever 12-day Northern Europe program from London (Dover) July 13, 2008.

Designed as the ultimate vacation for families, Carnival Splendor will offer different programs catering to specific age groups, including “Camp Carnival” (ages 2-11), “Circle C” (ages 12-14) and “Club O2” (ages 15-17), along with children’s menus, a corkscrew water slide, a stroller rental program and numerous other family-friendly features.

“As the largest ‘Fun Ship’ ever constructed, Carnival Splendor provides a huge canvas to create some truly exciting spaces to entertain kids of all ages while further bolstering Carnival’s distinction as the family cruise leader,” said Lynn C. Torrent, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and guest services.

Largest Play Area in the ‘Fun Ship’ Fleet
A focal point for many of the Carnival Splendor’s youth activities will be an expansive 5,500-square-foot children’s play area – roughly 30 percent bigger than the largest facility in the Carnival fleet. Located mid-ship on Panorama Deck, the two-level facility will be divided into separate areas with each focusing on a different activity or function.

One area will be an all-ages playroom with a variety of toys, games and puzzles. Another will be a computer game room with the latest computer gaming consoles, while a third will offer a dance floor and plasma screen TV displaying music videos and popular children’s movies.

Located one deck above will be a children’s water park with various water-spray apparatus, and a wet tot lot offering hours of splashing fun. The water park will complement Carnival Splendor’s four swimming pools, including a pool on Panorama Deck featuring the line’s signature 214-foot-long “Twister Waterslide.”

In addition to activities focusing on music, art, science and physical fitness, Carnival Splendor will also offer educational programming geared toward the ship’s various European, Caribbean, South American and Mexican Riviera itineraries.

New ‘Circle C’ Program for 12- to 14-Year-Olds
Carnival Splendor will be the first “Fun Ship” to feature a purpose-built “Circle C” facility, which caters specifically to the 12- to 14-year-old set. Located mid-ship on Atlantic Deck, the sleek, modern facility will feature a dance floor with high-tech sound and lighting system, along with 42-inch plasma-screen TVs displaying movies and music videos, and a touch-screen jukebox stocked with the latest hits.

Other features will include gaming pods with the latest video games and consoles, with 20-inch plasma-screens positioned throughout the room and used exclusively for video gaming. “Circle C” activities will include basketball, volleyball, ping-pong, water games, and late-night movies and pool parties.

‘Club O2’ for Teens
Continuing Carnival’s emphasis on providing older kids with their own spaces and activities, Carnival Splendor will offer its own version of the line’s popular “Club O2” teen program, which is aimed at kids ages 15 to 17.

The 2,365-square-foot facility, located mid-ship on Promenade Deck, will include a dance floor, DJ, and a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, and a lounge where teens can relax and enjoy non-alcoholic specialty drinks. A library with popular teen-oriented books and magazines will also be available. Special shore excursions offering older kids an opportunity to visit historic European destinations together as a group, along with Carnival’s popular Y Spa teen spa treatment program, will also be offered.

Children’s Dining Options, Other Family-Friendly Amenities
Kids have their own unique dining preferences and Carnival Splendor will offer such family friendly options as children’s menus in the main dining rooms, 24-hour pizza and ice cream at the poolside restaurant, and a program where kids can enjoy a meal with the youth staff on the Lido Deck.

A children’s turn-down service providing freshly baked cookies at bedtime and Carnival’s popular “Fountain Fun Card,” which, for a one-time fee, provides unlimited soft drinks throughout the voyage, will also be available.

Nightly babysitting services, at a cost of $6 per hour for the first child and $4 per hour for each additional child in the same family, along with Carnival’s popular stroller rental program, are also available. Also featured will be “Carnival’s Seaside Theatre,” a 270-square-foot LED screen located poolside on Lido Deck and displaying movies, concerts and other programming.

Of the ship’s 1,503 staterooms, nearly 200 will be interconnecting with more than 350 accommodating up to three and four guests – perfect for families.

Inaugural Schedule
Following a special one-time eight-day western Europe voyage from Genoa July 2-10, 2008, Carnival Splendor will launch the line’s first-ever 12-day Northern Europe cruise program from London (Dover) July 13, 2008. The program will run through Aug. 30, after which the ship will sail a trans-Atlantic crossing from London (Dover) to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., from where it will launch a schedule of seven-day Caribbean voyages beginning November 29, 2008.

From January – March 2009, Carnival Splendor will sail on a series of 14- to 18-day South America voyages – the line’s first within the region – then reposition to Long Beach, Calif., for year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages beginning March 29, continuing the expansion of the line’s West Coast operations.

Reservations are currently being accepted for all of the Carnival Splendor’s various European, Caribbean, South American and Mexican Riviera itineraries. Round-trip air supplements and special discounted rates for third and fourth guests sailing in the same stateroom are also available. For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.

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Her Majesty The Queen to Bid Farewell to QE2

VALENCIA, CA, April 9 - Cunard Line is honoured to announce that Her Majesty The Queen will make a farewell visit to Queen Elizabeth 2 in Southampton on Monday June 2, 2008. QE2, the most famous ship in the world, and for 35 years the flagship of the Cunard fleet, was launched by Her Majesty at Clydebank on September 20, 1967 - forty years ago last year. Since then QE2 has travelled over 5.6 million nautical miles, more than any ship ever; has carried over 2.5 million guests; has completed 25 World Cruises; and has crossed the Atlantic 802 times. She leaves Cunard's service in November 2008.

Her Majesty The Queen has visited QE2 twice since the launch - on May 1, 1969, immediately prior the Maiden Voyage, and on July 27, 1990 to mark Cunard Line's 150th anniversary. Details of the visit on June 2 will be announced shortly, but Cunard's President and Managing Director, Carol Marlow, comments:

"We are delighted and honoured that The Queen has chosen to visit QE2 to wish her farewell. Her Majesty has taken a close interest in the ship over the last forty years, and I am certain this will be a memorable occasion for all involved."

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Scuba Excursions Now Offered on Cruise West's 2009 South Pacific Voyages

SEATTLE, April 8– Cruise West, a leading small-ship cruise line with worldwide journeys, will offer seven distinct SCUBA excursions on its three 2009 South Pacific itineraries. The January through March cruises sail on Cruise West’s flagship, the 120-guest Spirit of Oceanus, through the untouched beauty, remote villages and tiny atolls of the South Pacific islands. All three itineraries offer numerous additional activities and excursions with focus on the culture, history and marine biology of these spectacular islands. Guests who book any of the three 2009 South Pacific cruises by June 13, 2008, will save $600 per person and an additional $200 per person if paid in full by June 13, 2008.

2009 South Pacific Itineraries with SCUBA Excursion Options:

Pearls of Polynesia
SCUBA divers can explore Beqa Lagoon/Carpet Cove or Taveuni/Rainbow Reef on the Pearls of Polynesia itinerary, a 12-night trip that sails to Polynesia and Melanesia. Beqa Lagoon is renowned for its spectacular soft coral and abundant sealife; Carpet Cove houses a fishing shipwreck, sunk in 1996 and now host to a vibrant array of sealife, including the rare juvenile Blue Ribbon eel. Cost per two-tank dive: $185
The second dive option is in two parts: first is Taveuni, called the “Soft Coral Capital of the World” for its vibrant corals; the second is Rainbow Reef, where divers can expect 60-70 feet of visibility. Cost per one-tank dive: $139.

The 12-night Pearls of Polynesia sails between Fiji and Papeete and visits Beqa, Fiji, to watch a traditional firewalking ceremony; the Cook Islands including Atiu, “The Land of the Birds,” which is not visited by many other tourists; and Tonga to meet with local villagers, participate in a kava ceremony and snorkel in the pristine waters. Pearls of Polynesia travels on January 12 and February 13, 2009.

Island Sanctuaries
The 11-night Island Sanctuaries itinerary visits the remote oasis of French Polynesia, where SCUBA divers can choose from two adventures. The first dive at Bora Bora/Tapu is located on the outside of a lagoon down a mooring line in 30 feet of water filled with dozens of black-tip reef sharks, moray eels, rainbow jackfish, triggerfish and large schools of butterflyfish. Cost per one-tank dive: $135. The second dive will investigate the calm waters of Fakarava’s lagoon, the second largest in Polynesia, and bring divers face to face to dolphins, manta rays, barracudas, blue fin tunas, sharks, angel fish and parrot fish. Cost per one-tank dive: $130.

On this round-trip journey from Papeete, guests will visit a local pearl farm in Takapoto and travel through the Marquesas Islands to meet with villagers and explore the plush terrain. This itinerary sails on January 23 and February 2, 2009.

Legends of the Pacific
The 16-night Legends of the Pacific journey explores Micronesian islands, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, traveling between Guam and Fiji. SCUBA divers can choose from three separate excursions.

· The Honiara/Guadalcanal trip explores the Western Battlefields of World War II at the beach of Ruanui, where divers will investigate a Japanese transport ship teeming with coral and pelagic fish life; the second dive will search another Japanese transport ship with anti aircraft guns on the wreck. Cost per two-tank dive: $120

· The Chuuk dive explores “Operation Hailstorm,” a battle that sank more than 60 ships more than 60 years ago. Schools of jacks patrol the outside of the ships while stunning soft corals are attached to the ribs and beams. Cost per two-tank dive: $199

· The third SCUBA excursion, at Pohnpei’s largest surrounding lagoon, offers a choice of three world-class dive sites: Palaikir Pass, home to a “shark city” of 100 grey reef sharks; Mwand Pass, with branching green tubstreas, gorgonian fans, and schools of colorful small reef creatures; and Manta Road, an underwater channel located between two reefs where manta rays are spotted nearly every day of the year. Cost per two-tank dive: $185

The Legends of the Pacific brings guests to areas seldom visited by other travelers, on an insider’s expedition of native villages, World War II sites and tiny islands. The itinerary sails on December 28, 2008, and February 26, 2009.

For additional information on the South Pacific itineraries visit www.cruisewest.com/destinations/south_pacific or call 1-800-296-8307.

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A Regal Celebration to Welcome MSC Poesia

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, April 8 – MSC Poesia was welcomed into the MSC Cruises fleet in grand style Saturday with a truly regal celebration in Dover--the first time the Italian-owned MSC Cruises christened a new ship outside of Italy. The ship was christened by Hollywood royalty and godmother Sophia Loren, who has served as godmother for the line’s last four ships. The latest in the line’s “Musica” class of ships was also welcomed by Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, representing the British Royal Family.

Providing the onboard entertainment prior to the midnight christening were several members of musical “royalty,” including Italian opera legend Andrea Bocelli and award-winning singer/songwriter KT Tunstall.

At 94,600 tons and 1,275 staterooms (with double occupancy for 2,550 guests), MSC Poesia blends cutting-edge technology, elegant surroundings, exciting entertainment venues and tantalizing dining opportunities (at four restaurants – including the Kaito Sushi Bar – and 12 lounges.

After the event, MSC Poesia set sail on her 13-night pre-inaugural voyage from Dover to Venice, visiting Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, and finally Italy, arriving in Venice where she will be positioned for the summer of 2008.

MSC Poesia is a sister ship to the popular MSC Orchestra and MSC Musica (launched in 2007 and 2006, respectively). She is the ninth ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, which has experienced the industry’s largest fleet expansion over the last three years.

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Grand Turk Cruise Center Offers a Variety of Retail Therapy
to Caribbean Cruise Ship Passengers

GRAND TURK, BWI, April 8 – Grand Turk Cruise Center, one of the Caribbean’s newest cruise destinations, has announced an increase in both the number of ship calls as well as the opening of additional retail stores in 2008. In addition to vendors selling local crafts and souvenirs, the facility also features such recognizable names as Margaritaville, Little Switzerland, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Bruno Fine Art, Goodmark Jewelers and the cruise center’s anchor retail tenant, duty-free giant, Dufry.

Officials at the Grand Turk Cruise Center expect more than 200 cruise ship calls accounting for 400,000 passengers in 2008, up from 180 calls and 380,000 passengers last year. Located on 13 acres of pristine beachfront property on Grand Turk, in the Turks & Caicos Islands, the Grand Turk Cruise Center boasts more than 40 retail shops encompassing 40,000 square feet of retail space featuring many world-renowned brand names in watches, jewelry, and clothing.

Francisco Morales of A&G Grand Turk Ltd, which operates the Ron Jon Surf Shop and Piranha Joe’s at the Grand Turk Cruise Center, commented, “We are expecting a record-breaking year at our outlets within Grand Turk Cruise Center and are delighted that we will be able to offer visitors an even greater diversity of retail items.”

Watch brands such as Rolex, Breitling and Movado, and jewelry by designers such as David Yurman, Robert Coin and Cabana are featured in selected stores. Clothing by Tommy Bahama, Quicksilver and Piranha Joe’s along with fine art by names such as Frank Meisler, David Gerstein, Abecassis, Miro, Picasso and others can also be found in the specialty shops at the cruise center. For more information, visit www.Grandturkcc.com.

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Princess Cruises Adds Trademark "Sanctuary" to All Ships by Popular Demand

SANTA CLARITA, CA, April 7 - Prompted by enthusiastic response from its passengers, Princess Cruises' ground-breaking The Sanctuary "pocket of tranquility" has become such a popular haven for passengers looking to escape to a serene hideaway, that it will be added to the entire fleet of Princess ships. Beginning this summer, the line's trademark retreat will be added to Island Princess, followed by Grand Princess and Star Princess by the end of the year. Additional ships will have The Sanctuary added through 2010. Depending on the ship, The Sanctuaries will be created in different areas onboard, such as the sports courts atop the "Grand-class" vessels, which will be relocated.

The Sanctuary, which debuted in 2006 aboard Crown Princess, was an instant success as it gave passengers the perfect place to take a break and indulge in a private getaway with a plush, outdoor spa-inspired setting, complete with massage cabanas, signature beverages, light meals, attentive service and relaxing personal entertainment. The exclusive adults-only retreat enjoyed continued popularity on sister ship Emerald Princess, and will also be available on Ruby Princess, debuting in November.

"The Sanctuary has come to personify Princess' essential philosophy of escape coupled with personal service," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "Passengers have told us they love this opportunity to completely relax in such a peaceful and pampering environment, so we're delighted to introduce this special Princess feature on all our vessels."

Sanctuary guests lounge amidst lush greenery, with the presence of gentle breezes, ocean waves, and softly piped-in spa music combining to further insulate the area with relaxation sounds. Guests can relax on plush outdoor furniture including double loungers for couples, as well as deluxe chaise lounges and chairs. Passengers also enjoy the personal attention of Serenity Stewards in The Sanctuary, who are on hand to provide everything from a chilled face towel and Evian water atomizers, to a menu of healthy beverages and fare. Serenity Stewards also have personal MP3 players with noise canceling headphones available loaded with themed playlists focused on relaxation for those who want to escape with music.

In addition, The Sanctuary features two outdoor private cabanas where guests can also take advantage of the exclusive Lotus Spa Services at The Sanctuary, including sybaritic favorites such as a Deep Tissue Muscle Massage, a relaxing Swedish Massage or a Full Body Lotus Massage especially for couples.

Guests can also refresh with a variety of special drinks and snacks created exclusively for The Sanctuary. Each day Serenity Stewards will be on hand to offer guests an array of drinks and snacks. Signature Sanctuary beverages include healthy smoothies, energy drinks, iced flavored waters and freshly made lemonade. A menu featuring a selection of light bites such as refreshing fruit skewers, lettuce wrapped spring rolls, and spicy tuna pâté with baked pita wedges will also be available through the Serenity Stewards.

Half-day passes for The Sanctuary are available for $10 per person, for 8 am to 12:30 pm or 1 pm to 5 pm. Passengers choosing to indulge with an outdoor massage may also enjoy an hour's use of The Sanctuary area after their treatment. Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.

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Windstar Cruises Sails the Awe-Inspiring Greek Isles in 2008

SEATTLE, April 3 -- Windstar Cruises, which operates a three-ship fleet of luxury yachts that explore hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world's most treasured destinations, offers guests exceptional opportunities to experience the mythical beauty of the Greek Isles aboard 148-guest Wind Star and Wind Spirit. In 2008, travelers on Windstar Cruises can choose from 46 7-day sailings during May through October to these ancient, hauntingly beautiful locales in the Greek Isles. Windstar is the only cruise line that offers such an extensive season of Greek Isles itineraries. These cruises have traditionally been favorites of Windstar guests who return year after year to sail on the warm, cobalt blue waters of the Mediterranean, Aegean and Ionian Seas. Due to their popularity, the cruises sell out quickly each season.

Itineraries start or end in Venice, Italy; Rome, Italy; Athens, Greece; or Istanbul, Turkey, with one itinerary featuring Sarande, Albania and two itineraries featuring Dubrovnik, Croatia. A variety of Greek ports are offered including Capri, Messina, Gythion, Navplion, Ermoupolis, Katakolon, Gythion, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Monemvasia, Corfu, Cephalonia and Kythira. Sailing from one magical port to the next, highlights include historic Athens, the lush island of Corfu, the Byzantine ruins in Kythira, fashionable boutiques of Mykonos, the cliffs and white-washed architecture of Santorini and the Acropolis of Rhodes. Windstar's also offers its Connoisseur Collection, which allow guests to combine two Greek Island cruises on Wind Star and Wind Spirit into a 14-day voyage with no repeating ports.

A leader in defining the small ship luxury cruise experience for the last 20 years, Windstar has won the allegiance of a new generation of contemporary travelers who appreciate the line's casual attire, alternative dining venues, rich mix of shore excursions, complimentary water sports program, deluxe spa facilities and luxurious accommodations.

The line recently invested millions in fleetwide enhancements in its Degrees of Difference initiative which focused on structural and technical operations along with upgrades to guest areas, remodeled bathrooms in staterooms and an expanded beauty salon and spa. On Wind Star and Wind Spirit, the Lounge, Veranda and Pool Bar were renovated. In order to take each ship's comfort level to a new degree of luxury, Apple iPod Nanos and Bose SoundDock speakers, flat screen televisions, luxury linens and mattresses as well as L'Occitane bathroom amenities were added in each stateroom across the fleet.

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Royal Caribbean Opens 2009 Alaska Cruise Season

MIAMI, April 3 – Announcing its 20th consecutive season in the region, Royal Caribbean International today unveiled its 2009 Alaska cruise season. Vacationers to the “Last Frontier” can choose from 10 distinct itineraries, ranging from seven to 15 nights, on 57 sailings departing from San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Seward (Alaska), and Vancouver. On select itineraries, guests can extend their Alaska adventure with a Royal Caribbean cruisetour to go deeper inland. Royal Caribbean’s 2009 Alaska cruises and cruisetours open today for booking.

“Royal Caribbean International is the premier cruise line for active vacationers to discover Alaska,” said Alice Norsworthy, senior vice president, Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. “Royal Caribbean’s history of sailing the region has allowed us to continue offering some of the most compelling and robust vacation experiences in Alaska. Our cruisetours take our guests’ experience to the next level and make a Royal Caribbean Alaska vacation truly memorable.”

Guests will sail aboard one of three Royal Caribbean ships deployed in the region in 2009: Radiance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, and Rhapsody of the Seas. Radiance-class Radiance and Serenade are considered among the world’s most gracefully-designed cruise ships and feature the 10-story glass-enclosed Centrum, offering spectacular vistas of the coastal landscape. Vision-class Rhapsody offers a more intimate cruise experience and a wide range of onboard amenities. Guests on Radiance of the Seas can extend their vacation with one of 21 Royal Caribbean cruisetour options for a more immersive Alaska experience. Ranging from three to seven nights, cruisetours combine a Royal Caribbean Alaska cruise with inclusive activities, transportation and hotel stays, all escorted by an experienced Adventure Specialist. A new seven-night cruisetour itinerary will give guests a more comprehensive Alaska adventure, highlighting Seward, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks. On 19 cruisetour options, guests will enjoy a segment aboard the Wilderness Express, Royal Caribbean’s luxurious, glass-domed railcar, offering unobstructed views of Alaska’s terrain.

During the day, guest can opt for a rejuvenating session in the onboard Day Spa, or capture an unparalleled birds-eye view from the top of the line’s iconic rock-climbing wall. Onboard every Royal Caribbean ship, guests can enjoy complimentary 24-hour room service, award-winning Broadway-style musical revues from Royal Caribbean Productions, top-rated Adventure Ocean kids programming with teen-only spaces fleetwide, and Royal Caribbean’s Gold Service Standard of friendly and engaging service from staff and crew.

Additional highlights of Royal Caribbean’s 2009 Alaska Cruise Season include:

Radiance of the Seas will alternate seven-night itineraries departing from Seward and Vancouver, while Serenade of the Seas will offer a seven-night, round-trip itinerary from Vancouver.
Radiance of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas’ itineraries will feature a visit to Hubbard Glacier, the largest glacier in North America and the only advancing glacial formation in the state.
Sailing round-trip from Seattle, Rhapsody of the Seas will feature cruising through the Inside Passage and up the narrow 32-mile Tracy Arm Fjord in order to reach the 200 feet-high Sawyer Glacier. In addition, guests will enjoy a full-day call at Victoria, British Columbia, one of the highest rated overall ports of call by past guests.
Guests on Serenade of the Seas also can extend their vacation with a three- or five-night Whistler or Canadian Rockies cruisetour out of Vancouver. The three-night Whistler cruisetour features a train-ride to visit the 2010 winter Olympic destinations of Vancouver and Whistler, while the five-night Canadian Rockies package features the picturesque Lake Louise.
Royal Caribbean also will make 38 calls at Icy Strait Point in 2009, more than any other cruise line. As the only wilderness port of call in Alaska, Icy Strait Point is adjacent to the largest Tlingit Native American settlement, and claims the world’s longest zip line measuring at 5,330 feet in length.

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Tahitian Princess to Be Renamed Ocean Princess

SANTA CLARITA, CA, April 3 - Tahitian Princess, one of the small ships in the Princess fleet, will be renamed in 2009, becoming Ocean Princess. The new name is intended to reflect the ship's new deployment on worldwide itineraries. The renaming will take place while the ship is out of service during a routine maintenance period in Singapore in November 2009. During next year's fall season, Pacific Princess, another of the line's small vessels, will provide cruises from Papeete, Tahiti, where the Tahitian Princess has been based.

"Tahitian Princess, along with our other two small ships, has developed a loyal following of passengers who enjoy a more intimate cruise experience, and also the opportunity to visit some off-the-beaten-path destinations," said Jan Swartz, Princess' senior vice president of customer service and sales. "As this ship is now sailing on itineraries around the world, we felt its name should reflect a more global theme."

Tahitian Princess joined the Princess fleet in 2002, and has been primarily deployed on sailings in the South Pacific, particularly French Polynesia and Hawaii. Beginning this summer, the ship sets off on new worldwide deployments, featuring a Connoisseur's cruise in Alaska, a world cruise in early 2009 and a season of unique Northern Europe sailings next summer. Following the 2009 renaming, Ocean Princess will sail on a series of Asia voyages to be announced separately.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com

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Princess Cruises Builds on Tradition of Worldwide Itineraries, Combining Long-Time Favorites with New, Emerging Destinations

SANTA CLARITA, CA, April 3 - Continuing its long tradition of bringing passengers to some of the world's most intriguing places, Princess Cruises has released its 2009-10 schedule of exotic itineraries which include long-time passenger favorites along with some new, emerging destinations. With the new program, passengers will be able to explore the splendors of Asia, the spectacular scenery of South America and Antarctica, the popular "Down Under" attractions of Australia & New Zealand, the South Pacific idylls of Hawaii and Tahiti, fall foliage journeys to Canada & New England, and a new world cruise adventure.

The new lineup of global cruises includes more than 110 sailings on 10 ships to all seven continents with six new itineraries and calls at more than 180 destinations including 11 new ports. Destinations include Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, India, South America, Canada & New England, and a world cruise.

New for this season, the line has increased capacity in Asia with two ships and three new 14- to 16-day itineraries offered on the newly named Ocean Princess (formerly Tahitian Princess), which will also venture into India and Africa. Other new itineraries include a 31-day West Africa Adventure and a special 13-day holiday sailing in Australia/New Zealand on Diamond Princess. In addition, Pacific Princess will set off on an extensive 107-day world cruise visiting 40 destinations. The 2010 worldwide sailing will feature maiden calls to a number of fascinating new ports, including Topolobampo for Mexico's Copper Canyon, Vietnam's "City of Peace" Halong Bay, and Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.

The program's 10 ships offer a full range in size from the line's three intimate, 680-passenger small ships to the largest 3,100-passenger amenity-filled vessels. Ocean Princess will sail on a variety of new sailings in Asia, India and Africa. Pacific Princess will take over the line's popular Tahiti & Polynesia sailings before setting out on a new world cruise itinerary. Golden Princess will return to the lush Hawaiian Islands, now with Sunday departures from Los Angeles. Royal Princess will once again venture up the world's largest river - the mighty Amazon, while Star Princess returns to cruising around South America's Cape Horn and Antarctica, plus offering two South Pacific crossings between the West Coast and Sydney. Diamond Princess will again cruise through Asia and "Down Under" to Australia & New Zealand. The line will also continue to offer year-round cruising from Australia aboard Sun Princess, which is joined by Dawn Princess for Aussie-style voyages to New Zealand, Asia and the South Pacific, departing from Sydney or Melbourne. And in fall, Crown Princess joins Caribbean Princess to sail the Eastern seaboard to Canada & New England.

Eleven new ports debut - Muscat, the capital of Oman; Yangon in Myanmar; Qingdao, a beautiful seaside city in China; Fukuoka, western Japan's major cultural center; Phillip Island in southern Australia, where visitors can watch the local penguins on their daily parade; Newcastle, Australia; the Caribbean island of Nevis; and on the world cruise Topolobampo, the gateway to the majestic Copper Canyon in Mexico; Picton, New Zealand at the head of the South Island's lovely Queen Charlotte Sound; Halong Bay/Hanoi (Cai Lan) in Vietnam; and Sharm el-Sheik, a resort city on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

"We know our passengers are explorers who revel in the opportunity to see some of the world's exotic locales," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "So we've designed a full slate of itineraries to take them to all seven continents in the comfort of our wonderful ships."

New Tahitian/Ocean Princess Sailings to Asia, India and Africa - Tahitian Princess will sail on one last Africa, India and Southeast Asia itinerary from Cape Town to Singapore before being transformed into the new Ocean Princess. The newly renamed ship will then set off on a series of cruises through Asia, including new itineraries such as the Treasures of Southeast Asia between Singapore and Shanghai, South China Sea Explorer between Shanghai and Bangkok, and China & Japan Explorer between Shanghai and Tokyo. The ship will end the season with an Africa, India and Southeast Asia voyage from Singapore to Cape Town and a West Africa Adventure from Cape Town to London (Dover). Sailings depart between September 17, 2009 and May 7, 2010.

Golden Princess to Hawaii - Golden Princess returns to Princess' popular Hawaii route, offering convenient 14-day roundtrip sailings from the port of Los Angeles. The itinerary features visits to the Big Island (Hilo), Honolulu, Kauai (Nawiliwili), and Maui (Lahaina). Golden Princess will sail on 16 Sunday departures between September 27, 2009 and April 25, 2010.

Diamond Princess in Asia and Australia/New Zealand - Diamond Princess returns to the Far East with a series of voyages throughout Southeast Asia and China as well as Australia & New Zealand sailings. Choices include six cruises on a 16-day Beijing/Bangkok itinerary, five sailings on the favorite 12-day run between Sydney and Auckland, plus a new 13-day Australia/New Zealand holiday sailing that adds the new port of Phillip Island. Other itinerary options are an 18-day Eastern Australia and Asia cruise from Bangkok to Sydney, and a 20-day Western Australia and Asia sailing from Sydney back to Bangkok. Two Alaska & the Far East cruises begin and end the season, which runs from September 12, 2009 through April 30, 2010.

Royal Princess through the Amazon - Royal Princess will sail on nine sailings of an enhanced 14-day Amazon River adventure between Ft. Lauderdale and Manaus, Brazil. The 710-passenger ship will visit St. Barthelemy (or the new port of Nevis on two sailings), St. Lucia, Trinidad, Devil's Island, and the Amazon ports of Santarém, Boca da Valéria, and Parintins plus an overnight visit to Manaus. Royal Princess sails between December 19, 2009 and April 10, 2010.

Star Princess - South Pacific, South America and Antarctica - Star Princess will start the season with two South Pacific crossings, sailing between San Francisco or Los Angeles and Sydney. The ship then heads down to South America for sailings around Cape Horn (between Santiago and Rio de Janeiro or Buenos Aires) and two Antarctic adventures. The ship also will begin and end the South America season with an Andes & South America route between Santiago and Los Angeles or San Francisco. Star Princess' season runs from September 23, 2009 through March 30, 2010.

Pacific Princess to Tahiti and Hawaii - Pacific Princess takes over the popular 10-day Tahiti & Polynesia cruises, sailing roundtrip from Papeete and calling at Huahine, Rangiroa, Raiatea (overnight), Tahaa Scenic Cruising, Bora Bora (overnight), and Moorea. The ship offers seven departures between October 9 and December 8, 2009. In addition, the ship will sail on one Hawaiian Islands cruise from Vancouver to Honolulu, a Hawaii & Tahiti sailing, and a 26-day South Pacific & Andes Explorer adventure from Tahiti (Papeete) to Ft. Lauderdale which features an optional overland tour to Machu Picchu as well as a full transit of the Panama Canal.

Sun Princess and Dawn Princess Australia Departures - Both Sun Princess and Dawn Princess will offer a selection of sailings departing from Sydney and Melbourne, featuring Australian-style cruising. Itineraries include voyages to New Zealand, Tasmania, New Caledonia & Vanuatu, and Round Australia sailings that circumnavigate the continent. Sun Princess will also sail on a journey to China & Japan roundtrip from Sydney and Dawn Princess offers a Hawaii, Tahiti and South Pacific voyage. The season's sailings depart between October 17, 2009 and April 3, 2010.

World Cruise - Pacific Princess - Pacific Princess spans the globe with a 107-day journey of a lifetime from Ft. Lauderdale to Rome, visiting some of the most dramatic locations on the globe, including Aruba, San Blas Islands, Panama Canal transit, Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Guatemala (Puerto Quetzal), Acapulco, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Topolobampo (for Copper Canyon), Los Angeles, Honolulu, Fiji (Suva), Vanuatu (Vila), New Caledonia (Nouméa), Bay of Islands, Auckland, Picton (for Marlborough Sounds), Sydney (overnight), Cairns (for the Great Barrier Reef), Rabaul (Papau New Guniea), Micronesia (Chuuk), Guam (Northern Mariana Islands), Nagasaki, Pusan (South Korea), Beijing (Xingang - overnight), Hong Kong, Halong Bay/Hanoi (Cai Lam), Kota Kinabalu, Brunei (Muara), Singapore, Phuket, Maldives Islands (Male), Mumbai, Dubai, Muscat (Mina Qaboos), Safaga (for Luxor/Karnak), Sharm el-Sheik, Aqaba (for Petra), Suez Canal transit, Athens (Piraeus), and Sorrento/Capri. This world cruise departs on January 27, 2010 with segments ranging from 18 to 89 days available for explorers who'd like a shorter voyage.

Caribbean Princess and Crown Princess to Canada & New England - Along with the previously announced 7-day Caribbean Princess Canada & New England program, Crown Princess will sail on Princess' classic 10-day route between New York and Québec City. Ports of call include Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, Saint John (New Brunswick), Halifax, Sydney (Nova Scotia) and Ville Saguenay (Québec), plus an overnight stay in charming Québec City. The ship will offer three departures on this route between September 23 and October 13, 2009. In addition, Crown Princess will sail on a 15-day Canada & Colonial America itinerary from Québec City to Ft. Lauderdale on October 23, with an overnight in Québec City and calls at Corner Brook (Newfoundland), Sydney (Nova Scotia), Halifax, Saint John (New Brunswick), Bar Harbor, Boston, Newport, New York City, Norfolk, and Charleston. Caribbean Princess seven-day itineraries sail roundtrip from New York from August 22 to October 17, 2009 visiting Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, Saint John (New Brunswick) and Halifax.

A variety of cruisetour packages are available in Australia, Asia, South America and Canada/New England, offering cruise passengers the opportunity to add to their vacation with such wonders as the Angkor Wat, Ayers Rock, and Machu Picchu. Exotic cruises are available for booking on April 23, 2008. Past Princess passengers are eligible for up to $100 in Captain's Circle Launch Savings on bookings made by December 31, 2008 (excluding the world cruise). Past passengers booking the full world cruise by this date are also eligible for special offers, including air-inclusive travel or a $300 Captain's Circle Launch Savings discount (depending on cabin category booked). Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com

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Carnival Miracle to Offer New 8-Day Eastern Caribbean Itinerary Option from New York in 2009

MIAMI, April 2 — Carnival Cruise Lines has added a new 8-day eastern Caribbean cruise option from New York aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle featuring port calls to Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; the private island of Half Moon Cay; and Nassau, The Bahamas. The new cruise route will be offered approximately once a month from May through September 2009 and will complement the ship’s existing eastern Caribbean cruise schedule from New York featuring stops at San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., and Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

“We’re always seeking exciting and attractive itinerary choices for our guests and the Carnival Miracle’s new eight-day cruise option combines the opportunity to visit three distinctively different tropical destinations with the convenience of departing from New York, one of America’s great cities,” said Lynn C. Torrent, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and guest services.

One of the Caribbean’s newest ports, Grand Turk has quickly earned the reputation as a guest favorite. In addition to numerous historic attractions and palm tree-lined powdery beaches, Grand Turk is considered one of the world’s best spots for snorkeling and scuba diving. Cruises stop at the new Grand Turk Cruise Center, which features an 800-foot-long private beach, a swimming pool, and the Caribbean’s largest Margaritaville themed restaurant.

Half Moon Cay offers a variety of exciting activities to choose from while exploring this privately owned paradise. Guests can enjoy horseback riding through the sand and surf, visit the Half Moon Lagoon Aqua Park, hike on the nature trail or simply relax in a private beachfront cabana.

The Bahamian capital of Nassau is an idyllic place with stretches of white-sand beaches and warm, turquoise waters teeming with marine life. In addition to a multitude of water-based options, guests can spend the day shopping for duty-free gifts or take a carriage ride past the city’s historic pastel-colored buildings.

Carnival Miracle offers a host of on-board facilities and features: 16 lounges and bars, four swimming pools, an expansive 13,500-square-foot Spa Carnival facility, indoor and outdoor promenades, a wedding chapel, ship-wide Wi-Fi Internet access and cell phone service. Dining options include a two-level formal restaurant, a 1,200-seat casual poolside eatery with a 24-hour pizzeria, and an elegant reservations-only supper club. Three different youth programs – “Camp Carnival” for ages 2-11, “Circle C” for 12- to 14-year-olds, and “Club O2” for older teens – with facilities, activities and counselors specific to their age group are included, as well.

Carnival Miracle also offers hundreds of staterooms with private balconies – perfect for scenic Caribbean cruising. The ship also offers a variety of accommodation categories, all of which feature the Carnival Comfort Bed sleep system, with plush mattresses, luxurious duvets and high quality linens and pillows. For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.

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Princess Cruises to Host First-Ever Live Opera Transmission at Sea

SANTA CLARITA, CA, April 2 - In an industry exclusive event, Princess ships will become the first cruise vessels ever to broadcast a live performance from the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The special The Met: Live on the High Seas presentation of Puccini's La Bohème will be held on Saturday, April 5 as part of the Met's series of eight opera performances that are transmitted live via satellite to movie theaters around the world.

This unique experience will be offered across Princess' 16-ship fleet. On vessels equipped with Movies Under the Stars, passengers can enjoy a unique "Opera Under the Stars" event, as they take in the production on the giant poolside LED screens. Other vessels will show the broadcast in the Princess Theater. Opera lovers and newcomers alike can enjoy this famous love story while sailing in locations such as Mexico, the Caribbean, or Hawaii, as well as exotic locations such as Cape Horn and Egypt.

Puccini's most popular masterwork, La Bohème tells the story of a community of artists in Paris, and is the opera that inspired Broadway's hit musical, RENT. Acclaimed soprano Angela Gheorghiu and tenor Ramón Vargas star as Mimi and Rodolfo in Italian director and designer Franco Zeffirelli's iconic production. Nicola Luisotti conducts.

"It's quite unusual to be able to sit by a pool in the Caribbean and watch a world-class opera live from New York," said Jan Swartz, Princess' senior vice president. "We're very excited to be breaking new ground with this first-ever live Metropolitan Opera broadcast at sea. It's a rare opportunity to present our passengers with such an enriching cultural experience included in their cruise."

The Met: Live on the High Seas is one of many special events and features shown daily on Princess' giant Times Square-style Movies Under the Stars LED screens. The unique, 300-square-foot screens show up to seven movies or events daily, including family films and first run hits, as well as concert footage and other special programming. In the evenings, lounge chairs are covered with special cushions and blankets and Princess' hallmark poolside service is available to enhance the viewing experience with free popcorn plus a variety of drink specials and movie snacks. Movies Under the Stars is featured on Caribbean Princess, Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Grand Princess and Sea Princess. Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.

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Top Reasons to Cruise Alaska Aboard Majestic America Line's
Empress of the North

SEATTLE, April 2 -- Majestic America Line, one of the world's premier river cruise lines and the largest river and coastal cruising company in America, gives guests exclusive access to hidden treasures found in Alaska's Inside Passage aboard the distinctive 223-guest Empress of the North.

Alaska is well-known for being an unforgettable experience for visitors. Majestic America Line offers travelers the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking views of Alaska in luxurious comfort. Here are the top reasons why cruising aboard Empress of the North is a top-choice for cruisers:

-- Small Ship Experience: With just 112 staterooms and suites, Empress of the North's intimate, small ship experience provides unique access to the vast wilderness and waterways of Alaska's Inside Passage that most Alaska cruises miss. The captain is always at liberty to pursue the day's most promising viewing opportunities. And, nearly 90 percent of the staterooms feature private verandahs from which guests can enjoy a private, up-close view of Alaska's dramatic glaciers and landscapes.
-- Unique Ship: Empress of the North was built expressly for exploring the narrow passages and coastal inlets of Alaska. She is equipped with a shallow draft to allow exploration of secluded bays and maneuver close to shore. Empress of the North pays homage to the explorers that have traveled these waterways for hundreds of years with the ship's impressive three-story paddlewheel.
-- Itinerary: All 2008 itineraries, which begin April 28, allow guests to explore up close the spectacular glaciers, natural wonders, the majestic grandeur of Alaska's endless forests, plummeting waterfalls, abundant wildlife, and the rich culture of America's last frontier.
-- Luxury: In the spirit of a boutique hotel, every stateroom features elegant furnishings including rich mahogany wardrobes and luxurious velvet draperies. Guests enjoy five-star comfort, luxurious amenities and award-winning service; including decadent pillow-top mattresses, high thread-count linens and thick cotton towels. Empress of the North also offers exceptional live entertainment and elegant fine dining.
-- Enrichment Programs & Included Shore Excursions: Expert naturalists, cultural representatives, historians and wildlife experts elevate the Alaskan experience for guests. The full-time onboard Discovery Guide highlights sites, recounts local legends and answers guests questions one-on-one. Enrichment programs and select shore excursions are included in the cruise price.
-- Art and Design: Empress of the North's interior designs reflect a Russian Alaskan theme, decorated in royal jewel tones of red, green, gold and black. Expansive art collections throughout the ship display unique Native American artwork and artifacts and Russian antiquities such as nesting dolls and beautiful and rare Faberge eggs.
-- No Crowds: A perk of cruising on a small ship with only 223 guests is that it has unique access to remote locations and often no one else is there. No huge crowds competing for the same photo opportunity or sightseeing experience.
-- No Passports and Exchange Rates: Forget the hassle of passports and exchange rates if you're an American cruising to Alaska aboard Empress of the North.

A special Alaska cruise aboard the Empress of the North departing Juneau, May 24, 2008, will be hosted by distinguished sports leader and business entrepreneur Peter Ueberroth. Ueberroth served as sixth commission of Major League Baseball, president of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and was named 1984 Man of the Year by Time Magazine. For more information, contact a travel agent, call 1-800-434-1232 or visit www.majesticamericaline.com.

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Princess' Department of Romance Selects Five Finalists in 'Are You the Greatest Romantic?' Video Contest

SANTA CLARITA, CA, April 1 -- Confirming that romance knows no boundaries, the five finalists of Princess Cruises' "Are You The Greatest Romantic?" video contest include a grandmother married 40 years, a minister and father of five, couples married only a few years and a hopeless romantic just getting serious with his love. The finalists were selected by the line's Department of Romance, and the public can now vote for their favorite entry. The largest number of votes will determine who is crowned "The Greatest Romantic," which will be announced on April 15.

Nearly 100 videos were submitted in the contest, which began on Valentine's Day, and the entries were judged by Princess' Department of Romance members which include actor Gavin MacLeod, "The Love Boat's" "Captain Stubing;" Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the always-provocative couples therapist; Alex Michel, the first "Bachelor" on ABC's hit show; Trish McDermott, vice president of love at Engage.com; and Lisa Light, destination wedding expert and author. The panel selected the five videos they felt embodied romance, along with creativity and originality.

"We were so impressed by the wonderful, romantic videos people submitted," said Gavin MacLeod, who charted a course through 10 years of TV love stories. "I was particularly moved by the heartfelt emotion that went into the entries, and it's quite evident that the finalists give real meaning to incorporating romance into their everyday lives."

The public now has the chance to log onto www.princess.com/romance and vote for their favorite entry. The finalist with the most votes will join the Princess' Department of Romance for one year and be featured on the company's website offering their sage romantic advice through articles and a special podcast. The winning romantic will also receive a seven-day cruise for two to the Mexican Riviera or the Caribbean. Additionally, one lucky person will win a seven-day cruise just for voting for their favorite video.

"We're really excited about the enthusiastic reaction to our contest.We not only received some fantastic entries but thousands of people visited the site to view and rate their favorites," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "And now we hope that in the final stages of our search, people will be just as excited to help choose the person that represents the ultimate in romance."

The five finalist videos include:

"The Greatest Romantic???" -- Phil Roberts nominates himself with a creative and touching poem delivered by his 3-year-old daughter. The 37-year-old father and minister from Lexington, Ky., shares the ups-and-downs and joys of his nine-year marriage to his wife, and says that romance has always been the core of their relationship. Phil's wife, Lisa, always wanted to get engaged at the ocean, so he created a beach scene in his apartment in Ohio, complete with a thousand pounds of sand, stars in the sky and a fluorescent beach scene painted on the walls. Through a difficult delivery of quadruplets and the loss of a child, Phil has always put his love for Lisa before all others, making each day like a Princess cruise for her.

"Everyday the Greatest Romantic" -- Brian Krall of Manchester, N.H., nominates his wife, Irene, who makes romance a part of their daily life, slipping notes into his lunch to remind him how much she loves him and making simple things like a game night into a romantic night with candles, soft music and a bottle of wine. Brian and Irene met on August 26, 2005 and married exactly two years later. Brian suffers from a spinal disorder and is confined to a wheelchair, but that doesn't stop Irene from planning special getaways or evenings out or making the most of every day together.

"40 Years of Romance" -- Sixty-year-old Lydia Kimball Gibbons of Orem, Utah, nominates her husband Ted as "The Greatest Romantic." Lydia and Ted have been married nearly 40 years and have 12 children. Lydia proudly shares all the daily ways Ted romances her -- he's written her love poems almost every day of their marriage and not only constantly tells her how much he loves and appreciates her, he also shows her by making her scrapbooks, daily planners and photo collages of their children and grandchildren.

"Our Story - Ashley and Kacey Evans" -- Kacey Evans nominates himself, paying loving tribute to his wife, love and best friend, Ashley. In a vivid video display, Kacey shares the details of their courtship and love, and how every day is infused with romance -- from trips, to evenings at home to gatherings with friends. The Ramsey, Minn., couple have been together for more than five years and married for two.

"Practice Makes Romance" -- Hopeless romantic Justin D'Ambrosio details his pursuit and preparation for true love. From rehearsing romantic dance moves, to preparing candlelit dinners, to writing love poems (all with his dog), Justin has made sure he's readied his romantic skills for his true love, Erin, whom he began dating two years ago. Although an aspiring comedian, the 23-year-old, who recently relocated from Ohio to Jersey City, N.J., takes romance very seriously. He pursued Erin for several months before his romantic wooing paid off and she finally agreed to a date.

All five finalists will receive prizes packages including decadent chocolates from Godiva Chocolatier, pampering products from Princess' exclusive Lotus Spa and flowers from Teleflora. Long known as a leader in romance, Princess has been offering romantic cruise vacations around the world for more than 40 years. Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com

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Hubba, Hubba! Three Celebrity Ships to Visit North America's Largest Glacier in 2009 Alaska Season

MIAMI, April 1 – Hubbard Glacier is the reigning beauty in Celebrity Cruises’ Alaska, where the breathtakingly rugged splendor of the natural world meets the comfortable sophistication of a top-notch cruise. Guests on all three Celebrity ships that will sail in the region in 2009 will have the opportunity to gaze at the glacier, which is the only advancing glacier in Alaska. Hubbard Glacier is but one of countless must-see sights in the region, and much of Alaska’s coastal magnificence is featured in Celebrity’s 2009 season there. Unique cruisetours will afford guests the opportunity to experience inland Alaska, the Canadian Rockies, and Whistler, British Columbia. Celebrity Cruises’ 2009 Alaska sailings opened for sale today.

Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Mercury, and Celebrity Millennium will sail Alaska in 2009, from a total of five ports. The season’s cruise highlights include the following:

Celebrity is offering the industry’s first roundtrip Alaska cruise out of Los Angeles, with a 14-night roundtrip “Ultimate Alaska” sailing on Celebrity Mercury. The voyage includes visits to five Alaska ports as well as Seattle, Washington and Victoria, British Columbia, on April 27. Immediately following that cruise, the ship will sail a 13-night “Ultimate Alaska” voyage from Los Angeles to Vancouver, also visiting five Alaska ports, among others. Celebrity Mercury will depart Sundays roundtrip from Vancouver, calling at Sitka, Juneau and Ketchikan, and cruising the famed Inside Passage, one of National Geographic Traveler’s highly rated destinations.

Celebrity Millennium will sail the line’s first 10-night roundtrip-from-Vancouver sailing with an “Ultimate Alaska” voyage on September 18, visiting six Alaska ports and one Canadian port. Celebrity Millennium will cruise between Seward, Alaska and Vancouver, British Columbia, departing on Fridays, calling at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, and cruising the Inside Passage.

At the core of Celebrity’s 2009 Alaska season is a series of seven-night sailings between May and September that include stunning views of Hubbard Glacier, with the itineraries varying between the three ships.

Celebrity Infinity will depart Fridays roundtrip from Seattle, visiting Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska, and Victoria, British Columbia. Nearly all of these sailings also feature a call at Icy Strait Point, giving guests the opportunity to experience Alaska’s only wilderness port. Adjacent to the largest Tlingit Indian settlement and home to the historic salmon cannery and carefully restored museum, Icy Strait Point offers numerous shore excursions, including flightseeing, whale watching, sport fishing, biking, kayaking, and rides on the world’s longest zip line, which measures 5,330 feet in length and includes a 1,300-foot vertical drop.

In Juneau, the “Taku Glacier Lodge Flight and Feast” excursion lets guests board a floatplane and enjoy 50 minutes of flightseeing over five glaciers before landing at the historic Taku Lodge for a King salmon feast.

In Ketchikan, guests can taste local seafood in an intimate setting with the “Alaskan Chef’s Table” excursion.

Celebrity Mercury will reprise its popular 2007 and 2008 wine cruise with an 11-night sailing from Vancouver to San Diego, California on October 12, 2009. Celebrity Mercury will continue to alternate between three- and four-night Pacific Northwest sailings out of Seattle in September and October, with calls at Nanaimo and Victoria, British Columbia.

In Victoria, the “Butchart Gardens, Wine and Chocolate” shore excursion gives guests an introduction to the city’s charms, including the renowned Butchart Gardens and a unique wine-and-chocolate-pairing experience at a local winery.

Combining a cruise with a multi-night, land-based journey enhances the Alaska experience. In 2009, Celebrity is increasing its cruisetour offerings. Highlights include the following:

A total of 21 Alaska cruisetours are available to guests sailing seven-night voyages on Celebrity Millennium out of Seward and Vancouver. In 2009, these offerings include a new seven-night post-cruise tour through Seward, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali National Park and Fairbanks, Alaska.

Three Canadian cruisetour journeys (two Canadian Rockies and one Whistler) are available to guests sailing seven-night voyages on Celebrity Mercury out of Vancouver. A five-night Canadian Rockies package featuring rail travel on Rocky Mountaineers’ RedLeaf will visit Calgary, Banff and Vancouver. A three-night Whistler package features rail travel on Rocky Mountaineers’ Whistler Mountaineer Coast Classic and visits the 2010 Winter Olympics sites of Vancouver and Whistler.

To learn more about Celebrity’s 2009 Alaska and Pacific Northwest cruises and cruisetours, guests are encouraged to visit www.celebritycruises.com.

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Oceania Cruises Launches New Epicurean Immersions

Miami, FL, April 1 — Oceania Cruises is pleased to announce the release an exclusive series of specialty food and wine focused shore excursions – Epicurean Immersions. Produced in conjunction with renowned culinary experts at Food & Wine Trails of Sonoma, California, these tours offer enriching, one-of-a-kind experiences providing an up-close and in depth look at local food and wine legacies. Each tour showcases its culinary treats at magnificent estates, centuries-old wineries and traditional restaurants; many of which are not open to the general public or only known by the most seasoned of travelers. Many of the tours include meals at some of the world’s best wineries or private homes – settings that enhance both food and drink, and will leave guests with a true taste of southern Europe.

Italy, Greece and the south of France are an epicurean’s delight and the perfect stage for this new series of culinary tours which are offered in virtually all 2008 and 2009 western Mediterranean voyages. Featuring tours in Venice, Florence La Spezia, and Sorrento, Italy; Corfu, and Santorini, Greece; Provence, France; a variety of half- and full-day tours are available. As guest participation is typically limited to 25 or 30 guests, the tours offer a unique perspective not just into the local cuisine, but the personalities that are the fabric of the region’s history and lore.

Enhancing and enriching the tours, and ensuring a truly immersive experience, each is led by a renowned expert. Noted wine experts, cookbook authors, and critically acclaimed food and wine academe such as Judy Francini, Pamela Sheldon, Judy Witts, and Padraig Fournier are among the luminaries that will personally guide guests through each Epicurean Immersion. Each is not only intimately acquainted with the local food and wine scene, but has been instrumental in designing the tours.

“We are always searching for new and exciting ways to enhance and enrich our guests’ culinary experience, whether aboard ship or ashore. With this series of intimate and in depth tours, our guests can immerse themselves in the local cuisines and wines while truly connecting with the local culture,” stated Bob Binder, President of Oceania Cruises.

Food & Wine Trails, the educational tour division of HMS Travel, organizes international food and wine tours for many of America’s top food and wine organizations. Clients include Robert Mondavi, Beringer and Kosta Browne wineries, culinary schools like the Culinary Institute of America and consumer groups like ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers), the American Wine Society and Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

To preserve the intimate nature of these experiences, availability on these tours is extremely limited. Please consult your travel agent, or call Oceania Cruises at 800-531-5658 to reserve these Epicurean Immersions:

Best of La Spezia Experience: La Spezia, Italy
Best of Venice Strolling and Noshing Experience: Venice, Italy
Best of Florence Strolling and Noshing Experience: Florence (Livorno), Italy
Best of Santorini Wine Experience: Santorini, Greece
Best of Provence Wine Experience: Provence (Marseille), France
Best of Pompeii Wine Experience: Sorrento/Capri, Italy
Best of Ornellaia Wine Experience: Florence (Livorno), Italy
Best of Corfu Wine Experience: Corfu, Greece
Best of Gragano Pasta Experience: Sorrento/Capri, Italy
Best of Terriccio Wine Experience: Florence (Livorno), Italy

For additional information, to make a reservation, or to order a brochure, please contact your Travel Agent or Oceania Cruises at 800-531-5658. Visit us at www.OceaniaCruises.com.

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MSC Cruises Celebrates MSC Orchestra's Inaugural Caribbean Season With Free Balcony Upgrades

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, April 1 -- As part of its year- long celebration leading up to the arrival of MSC Orchestra in North American waters in January, MSC Cruises is offering guests a free balcony upgrade. The free balcony upgrade, a savings of up to 50 percent or more off retail prices, is available to guests who book an oceanview stateroom on MSC Orchestra's 2008-09 Caribbean itineraries by April 30. As always, kids 17 or younger sail free when sharing a stateroom with two full-fare-paying adults.

A highlight of both the Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries is a call at Cayo Levantado, the line's private paradise experience in the Dominican Republic. There, guests will have the option to explore pristine beaches, enjoy turquoise waters and natural rainforest or view humpback whales as they arrive in the warmer Caribbean waters off the coast to mate and enjoy their newborns.

Plus, the Jan. 24, Feb. 28, March 28 and April 11 sailings are Baseball Greats theme cruises, where guests have the opportunity to mingle and learn from some of the greats of the game and even get their autographs for free.

In conjunction with this Free Balcony Upgrade promotions guests who book the Free Balcony Upgrade promotion need only to place a deposit of $100 per person. Guests are invited to visit www.theorchestraiscomingtotown.com for more information about MSC Orchestra and the chance to win a free cruise. For more information about MSC Cruises and the Free Balcony Upgrade promotion, contact a local travel professional.

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Cruise News Archive - Past cruise news items listed by month

Unless otherwise noted, all news items are sourced by individual cruise lines,
cruise-related industries, and their agents.