News from the world of cruising ~
September 1-10, 2001
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CARNIVAL SCHEDULES SPECIAL SIX-DAY NEW YEAR'S CRUISE,
THREE-DAY BAHAMAS VOYAGE ABOARD NEW CARNIVAL PRIDE
MIAMI (09/07/01) - Carnival Cruise Lines has scheduled two special voyages aboard the new 88,500-ton Carnival Pride: a six-day New Year's cruise departing Miami Sunday, Dec. 30, 2001, and a three-day Bahamas voyage departing Port Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002. The new 2,124-passenger vessel is currently in the final stages of construction at Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland. Following these voyages, Carnival Pride will launch year-round seven-day Caribbean service from Port Canaveral Jan. 12, 2002, becoming the newest and largest vessel to operate from that port.
"Carnival Pride promises to be a spectacular addition to the 'Fun Ship' fleet and these new three- and six-day winter getaways provide consumers a unique opportunity to be among the first to experience the vessel's vast array of on-board offerings," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president. He added that Port Canaveral is within driving distance for millions of residents of the southeastern U.S., making these cruises particularly attractive to that market.
Inaugural Six-Day Voyage from Miami Dec. 30, 2001 Carnival Pride will debut Dec. 30, 2001, with a special six-day western Caribbean voyage from Miami taking place over the New Year's holiday. Ports of call on this one-time cruise include Belize, Playa del Carmen/Cozumel and Key West. Prices begin at $799 per person. If purchased through Carnival's new "Fun Finance Plan(SM)," the voyage is available starting at $37 per month.
Three-Day Bahamas Voyage from Port Canaveral Jan. 9, 2002 Carnival Pride will operate a special three-day Bahamas voyage Jan. 9-12 featuring an overnight call in Nassau. Rates for this voyage begin at $299 per person. If purchased through Carnival's new "Fun Finance Plan," the cruise is available beginning at $14 per month.
Prices for Carnival's "Fun Finance Plan" are based on a 24-month payment term at the lowest annual percentage rate available. Actual monthly payment and terms may vary according to the applicant's credit qualifications. Valid for U.S. individual bookings only. Certain other restrictions apply.
Year-Round Seven-Day Caribbean Sailings
Following the three-day Bahamas voyage, Carnival Pride will begin year-round seven-day eastern and western Caribbean sailings from Port Canaveral Jan. 12. Eastern Caribbean cruises will feature the private Half Moon Cay or Salt Cay - the first private island included on a "Fun Ship" itinerary - along with St. Thomas/St. John, and St. Maarten. The western route will feature stops at Key West, Belize City, Progreso/Merida, and Playa del Carmen/Cozumel. Carnival Pride will operate the only seven-day western Caribbean cruise program from Port Canaveral this winter.
'Resort-Style' Amenities and Facilities, Distinctive Interior Design The Carnival Pride will offer a variety of "resort-style" amenities, including a 13,700-square-foot spa, a 2,400-square-foot children's play area, indoor and outdoor promenades, and 18 bars and lounges with dramatic interiors inspired by "icons of beauty" that exist in painting, architecture, and décor. An Internet café, conference center, four swimming pools, and a cascading water slide will also be featured.
As part of Carnival's Total Choice Dining(SM), cruising's most comprehensive dining program offering the widest variety of formal and casual options at sea, the Carnival Pride will also house a two-level formal restaurant, a patisserie, a casual poolside eatery and a 24-hour pizzeria. Complimentary 24-hour stateroom service and a "steakhouse-style" supper club featuring prime beef, along with stone crabs from world-famous Joe's Stone Crab restaurant, will be featured, as well. Of the ship's 1,062 staterooms, 80 percent will offer an ocean view with 80 percent of those featuring private balconies. Several levels of deluxe accommodations will be available, as well. Carnival is currently accepting reservations for the Carnival Pride's various Miami and Port Canaveral departures. For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, or visit www.carnival.com.
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ROYAL CARIBBEAN DECLARES DIVIDEND
MIAMI, Sept 7, 2001 - The Board of Directors of Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd. has declared a quarterly dividend of 13 cents per share for shareholders of record at the close of business on September 17, 2001, payable on September 28th, 2001. This is the 32nd consecutive quarter Royal Caribbean's Board of Directors has voted to declare a dividend to shareholders.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Royal Celebrity Tours. Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have a combined total of 22 ships in service and seven under construction or on firm order. Royal Celebrity Tours operates land-tour vacations in Alaska utilizing the world's largest glass-domed railcars. Additional information can be found on www.royalcaribbean.com, www.celebritycruises.com or www.rclinvestor.com.
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VARIED MANIFESTATIONS OF BEAUTY HIGHLIGHT INTERIORS OF NEW CARNIVAL PRIDE
MIAMI (09/07/01) -"Icons of Beauty" is the central idea for the design of Carnival Cruise Lines' newest cruise ship, the Carnival Pride, scheduled toenter service from Port Canaveral, Fla., Jan. 12, 2002. Finding inspiration in everything from classic architecture and artistic masterpieces to athletic achievement and the human body, Carnival's interior architect Joe Farcus has created an environment on the Carnival Pride that provides guests with representations of beauty in all its manifestations.
"Beauty can be interpreted in many ways," said Farcus, "from the physical to the spiritual to the experiential." To set the stage for the variety of icons of beauty presented on the Carnival Pride, Farcus chose the Renaissance as inspiration for the lobby, atrium, elevator and stairwell areas. Here, the arts and craftsmanship of the Italian Renaissance are reflected in rich details of wood, bronze moldings and dominated by gold, sienna and burnt-red tones. Reproductions of murals by Botticelli, Raphael and other Italian painters adorn the walls.
Architectural beauty is celebrated in the Taj Mahal show lounge and Normandie Restaurant. The show lounge is filled with intricate Indian designs, elephant friezes and stonework with small jewels pressed into decorative designs and illuminated from behind. The restaurant décor, which emphasizes dark wood and deco accents, is based on the famous transatlantic liner Normandie - which is considered by many to have been the most beautiful passenger vessel ever built.
The beauty of experience is represented in both the Perfect Game sports bar and the Winner's Club casino. The sports bar has a fanciful motif of every imaginable sports ball serving as wall sculptures and table bases - even the carpet depicts sports balls, while the curtains resemble basketball hoop netting. The casino replicates the atmosphere of victory in the Jockey Club at the Kentucky Derby with a mural of Churchill Downs and bas-relief statues of jockeys and paintings of horses in the walls and ceiling.
Beautiful art is celebrated in the Starry Night jazz club and the Ivory Bar, the Carnival Pride's piano bar. The jazz club's interior gives the appearance of having walked into a courtyard surrounded by walls and windows and shutters, while the famous Van Gogh painting "Starry Night" is used as a wall and ceiling mural illuminated by tiny lights. The piano bar highlights the Japanese penchant for netsuki, or Japanese ivory carvings. Resin-cast reproductions of ivory carvings are interspersed with cast bonsai trees and pagoda-like lanterns in a room dominated by warm wood tones.
The beauty of ideas and intellectual achievement is enshrined in the Nobel Library, which also houses the Carnival Pride's Internet Cafe. Named after the famous prize created by Alfred Nobel, the room has a simple, Swedish design that falls somewhere between classical and art deco. Portraits of Nobel, the King of Sweden and award ceremonies adorn walls painted in Windsor blue and trimmed in light green.
Natural beauty is celebrated in both the Sunset Garden and Butterflies Lounge. Located at the forward end of Atlantic deck and forming the enclosed portion of the ship's exterior promenade, Sunset Garden provides a quiet, relaxing spot decorated in the colors of sunset - gold, umber and burnt red - with murals of Old Sol painted on the interior walls. Butterflies Lounge has faux windows that are decorated with colorful transparent fabrics that resemble butterfly wings which disappear under special lights to illuminate the flocks of butterflies behind. Neon and black lights illumine metallic-glitter butterflies on the walls and four different butterfly patterns in the upholstery.
The beauty of the human body is celebrated in Beauties Dance Club, David's Supper Club and the Mermaids' Grille. In the dance club, varicolored male and female torsos - á la Venus de Milo - line the walls, support the tables and decorate the ceiling. Walls and ceilings are of antique-look one-way mirrors illuminated from behind with flashing and neon lights for a variety of effects. One wall is dominated by a two-deck-high video display which can mix live video, special effects and prerecorded images to accompany the dance music. David's Supper Club is an upscale alternative reservations-only restaurant. Located at the top of a soaring nine-deck high atrium and housed under a red-tinted glass dome that forms the forward portion of the Carnival Pride's massive winged funnel, the restaurant sports a full-size replica of the famous Michelangelo sculpture, "David." The room is replete in wood accents in a contemporary interpretation of Renaissance style.
The casual Mermaids' Grille features three-dimensional cast sculptures of a school of mythical half-woman half-fish being. The figures are finished in weathered copper and appear to float on sprays of cascading water, made of clear acrylic and illuminated from within. Between the banquettes are figures of a boy riding a dolphin, also supported on a column of "water." Window walls are covered with a mirror material antiqued to resemble seawater. Multi-colored shells in hues of blue and green cover the ceiling. The Lido Deck pool area features a grand mural of Botticelli's "Birth of Venus." The pools are named after Apollo and Poseidon, and bronze sculptures of the Greek gods on pedestals are located between the pools.
The Carnival Pride will enter service Jan. 12, 2002, on a year-round program of seven-day cruises alternating between the eastern and western Caribbean. The eastern itinerary includes calls at Half Moon Cay or Salt Cay - both private Bahamas out islands, along with St. Thomas/St. John, and St. Maarten. The western route features Key West, Belize, Playa del Carmen/Cozumel, and Progreso/Merida (Mexico). For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent or call 1-800-CARNIVAL. Information and reservations can also be obtained via the line's Web site at www.carnival.com.
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Celebrity Cruise Lines has paid $55,000 to the state of Alaska to settle a complaint over smokestack emissions from two of the company's ships, state officials said Wednesday. The payment settles claims made by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) that the company's ships released thicker smoke than is permitted into the air at Juneau's harbor last summer. The alleged violations were committed by the Mercury and the Galaxy, the state Department of Law said.
Celebrity, based in Miami, was among seven companies cited by the DEC for opacity violations alleged during the 2000 cruise season, said Assistant Attorney General Chris Kennedy. Settlement negotiations are underway with the other companies cited, Kennedy said.
The charges were made in a letter sent from DEC to the company that sought $27,500 for each incident, Kennedy said. The company agreed to pay that, so the case never reached the level of a civil or criminal complaint, he said. Under the settlement agreement, Celebrity did not admit or deny violating state air-emissions standards. In a news release, state officials said they were satisfied with the way the case turned out.
"This settlement represents another positive step by the state and Celebrity Cruises to resolve environmental concerns raised over the last several years,'' state Attorney General Bruce Botelho said.
Cruise ship pollution has been the subject of increasing concern as the industry's Alaska traffic has grown here in recent years. A new law passed by the legislature in June and signed by Gov. Tony Knowles made Alaska the first U.S. state to regulate wastewater discharges from cruise ships. The law, which went into effect on July 1, also expanded the state's authority to regulate air emissions from cruise ships. SOURCE: Reuters
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Delta Queen Steamboat Company And Delta Queen Coastal Voyages Select Mullen Advertising Agency
MIAMI, Sept. 6 -- Delta Queen Steamboat Company and Delta Queen Coastal Voyages, subsidiaries of American Classic Voyages Co., announced they have selected Boston-based Mullen as their new advertising agency of record. Mullen will handle all advertising, direct marketing and interactive services for both brands. The account will be serviced by Mullen's Pittsburgh office with its extensive experience in travel and tourism.
"We're selling vacations that are enriched with the heritage and culture of the regions we visit and bring people back to a simpler time that is firmly entrenched in their imaginations," said Scott McGinnis, vice president of marketing for the Delta Queen brands. "Mullen's imaginative thinking and their understanding of our potential passenger market made them the logical choice to be entrusted with one of the travel industry's most recognizable brand names."
"This is a great opportunity to be affiliated with a well-respected company which is positioned to benefit from our unique vision and creativity," said Bob Bernardini, vice president and general manager of Mullen's Pittsburgh office. "Our extensive tourism marketing experience will allow us to reinforce and expand awareness of the Delta Queen brand, attracting a wider demographic segment while retaining the historical perspective that has made the brand name so successful for over a century."
Delta Queen Steamboat Company, which operates four traditional riverboats styled after the great paddlewheel steamboats of the late 19th century and traces its roots to 1890, cruises on the Mississippi and Ohio River systems and in the Pacific Northwest. Delta Queen Coastal Voyages, launched earlier this year, sails one ship in New England and the Maritime Provinces, along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway and along Latin America's tropical coastlines. A second ship is scheduled to enter service in April 2002. Both Delta Queen Coastal Voyages and Delta Queen Steamboat Company are subsidiaries of American Classic Voyages Co., the world's largest U.S.-flag cruise company with a fleet of seven U.S.- crewed vessels. SOURCE: Mullen
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AGENTS CALL REFINED SEABOURN "SIMPLY THE BEST"
Top Producers Praise Company's Product Upgrades, Focus on Pride, Spirit, Legend
MIAMI, Sept 5, 2001 - Richard Meadows, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for ultra-luxury cruise pioneer Seabourn Cruise Line, said today that the line's top producing agents are "*virtually unanimous in their support of the company's decision to re-focus on a reduced fleet of ships that are capable of delivering the levels of service and comfort that comprise a true Seabourn Experience."
According to Meadows, agents are also applauding the series of enhancements being implemented on the Seabourn yachts. Following the departure of the former Sea Goddess ships and the planned transfer of the 758-guest Seabourn Sun to sister-company Holland America Line in April, Seabourn will have returned to the uniform fleet of three all-suite, yacht-like ships that consistently kept the line at the top of ratings. Carrying just 104 couples each, Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend were originally designed to create a cruise product that improved on the Sea Goddess model by adding more spacious accommodations, more gracious public areas and improved deck space. They remain unique in the cruise industry in terms of their intimate capacity and luxurious features and amenities. Following $25 million in refurbishments, the three Seabourn "sisters" now offer totally redecorated interiors and balconies on 40 percent of their suites, along with such contemporary features as internet access and an enhanced spa and gymnasium.
"We have invested a lot into these ships in the last year, and now we are ramping up the shipboard product with major long-term commitments in added features and amenities," said Meadows. "But the real key is the level of personalized service and attention our guests enjoy. Nobody else in the ultra luxury segment has ships this size, and that means they can't do what we do. We can unabashedly state that for 2002 the Yachts of Seabourn offer the finest ultra luxury cruise experience available, full stop."
Agents specializing in the carriage trade agree. Dorothy Reminick of Reid Travel in Boca Raton, Florida sailed on Seabourn Pride in July and says it was"fabulous! Everything about it was first rate. They couldn't do enough for you. What could be better? I have sailed on all the smaller luxury ships and the Seabourn yachts are simply the best. I had planned to take a group on a barge cruise next summer, but when I got back I told them we were going on Seabourn instead, and they all said 'Fine!' and gave me their deposits. So we'll all be sailing on the Legend next June."
Tom Baker of CruiseCenter.com in Houston, Texas sailed on Seabourn Legend in August. Asked about his experience, he said, "I have been cruising since I was five years old, and I've sailed on over a hundred different ships, including the most highly rated ships in the world, and this was without doubt the finest service I have ever experienced. And that includes any hotel or restaurant anywhere. The food was superb and the service was just magnificent. There are some other ships out there that claim to be six star, but Seabourn clearly surpasses them all."
Gay Gillen Stone at Gay Gillen Travel in Austin, Texas booked clients on a Seabourn cruise in May, shortly after they returned from an Alaska cruise on a luxury competitor's larger ship. She said they told her the Seabourn ship's size and number of guests "gave them a feeling of exclusivity and pampering that larger ships cannot provide." The clients told Stone that "Seabourn provides the finest personal service. From the first day of the cruise the staff knew them by name." Stone's clients also noted that the "dining room staff is unhurried and dedicated to accommodating individual requests."
Surveys completed by guests while they are on board also reflect growing delight with the cruise experience on the Seabourn sisters. Always strong, the General Impression scores have progressed from averages of 9.10 on a scale of 10 last year to 9.51, 9.57 and 9.62 in the month of August, 2001. Scores for service categories are even higher, with stewardesses and restaurant service staff achieving scores ranging from 9.60 to an incredible 9.75 out of 10.
The yachts of Seabourn provide the ultimate in small-ship, ultra-luxury cruise vacations to the most desirable destinations on earth. The Seabourn fleet includes Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend. Seabourn Cruise Line is a member of the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Together, these member lines share a commitment to quality and value, offering cruise vacations that appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets and sail to some of the world's most exciting destinations. SOURCE: Seabourn
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CRYSTAL CRUISES EXPANDS 2002 WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL TO 23 SAILINGS FEATURING CELEBRITY CHEFS AND TOP SOMMELIERS
LOS ANGELES, Sept 5, 2001 - Spago's pastry chef Sherry Yard; Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani of Napa Valley's Terra Restaurant; celebrity chef and tv host Sam Choy; and California cuisine pioneer John Ash; will join revered masters André Soltner and Jacques Pépin and more than a dozen others throughout Crystal Cruises' 2002 Wine & Food Festival. An impressive roster of wine experts, including eight Master Sommeliers and one Master of Wine will join the guest chefs during the Festival sailings. Due to the strong popularity of the series, the Wine & Food Festival, originally slated for 15 voyages in 2002 is now scheduled for 23 worldwide cruises in Asia, the Pacific, Alaska, South America, Panama Canal/Caribbean, and Europe aboard Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony.
During each Wine & Food Festival cruise, the guest chef will prepare a four-course dinner featuring his/her signature dishes utilizing the sailing region's freshest ingredients, matched with wine pairings by the guest wine expert. The menu, showcasing an appetizer; soup, salad or pasta; seafood/fish and meat entrées; and dessert, is offered to all guests in the Crystal Dining Room. By day, the visiting chef will also demonstrate cooking techniques, share recipes and tips, and participate in question and answer sessions.
The Master Sommeliers and other guest wine experts will lead guests through wine tastings to enjoy and compare appellations, vintages and varietals; learn the history of wine in the regions sailed; receive valuable hints on choosing and pairing wines, and become more familiar with Crystal's cellar of more than 200 selections, one of the most extensive at sea. These tastings feature the renowned Riedel Tasting Glass, which allows guests to evaluate different wines in a short period of time, while improving several aspects of judging wine.
"It is a testament to our culinary staff that our Wine & Food Festival attracts such prominent personalities in the field, assured the Crystal staff will consistently deliver the same high quality the chefs are famous for, and accustomed to, in their home restaurants, to 940 guests at sea," says Toni Neumeister, director of culinary operations.
"The 'Wine & Food Festival' also benefits our culinary team," said Neumeister. "We take advantage of the ongoing education opportunity for our chefs, cellar masters and wine stewards to be inspired by the different styles and talents of these visiting culinary masters, and be on the edge of trends in our industry."
Also attesting to the quality and dedication of the culinary team is Crystal Cruises' alliance with famed restaurateur Piero Selvaggio of Valentino in Santa Monica and Las Vegas. As of January 2001, Crystal Cruises features a "Valentino at Prego" menu in Prego, the Italian specialty restaurant on both ships. Delivering the high quality of ingredients and presentation Selvaggio is known for, Prego's menu not only offers its own selections but also highlights several of Valentino's dishes (appetizer, soup, pasta, entrée, cheese, dessert) which Selvaggio has paired with a choice of wines.
2002 Wine & Food Festival Dates And Destinations
In 2002, the "Crystal Wine & Food Festival" is scheduled for Crystal Symphony's four 18- to 34-day individual World Cruise voyages on Jan. 17, Feb. 4, March 2 and 25; as well as her trans-Atlantic crossing on May 13; one Baltic cruise on June 1; four Mediterranean sailings on Aug. 13, 25, and Sept. 6; and a Canary Islands voyage on Oct. 25.
Crystal Harmony's Festival sailings include a 13-day cruise through South America on March 11; four Pacific Asia voyages on March 24, April 3, May 22 and June 3; four varying Panama Canal and Caribbean itineraries on Jan. 18, Oct. 27, Nov. 7, and Nov. 18; along with four Alaska departures on July 4, 16, and 28; and Sept. 14.
The 50,000-ton, 940-guest sister ships, Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony are two of the most spacious and luxurious vessels cruising the world. Their unique size in the luxury market allows for smooth sailing and a wide range of innovative facilities, generous amenities and elegant accommodations. The Six-Star rated liners feature grand lounges, a full-service fitness facility, Computer , the only Caesars Palace at Sea casino afloat, a lavish spa adhering to the principles of Feng Shui, expansive decks, two pools, award-winning cuisine and entertainment, and exquisitely-appointed staterooms, more than half of which offer private verandahs.
The luxury liners are operated by Crystal Cruises, winner of the travel industry's most distinguished hospitality awards and guidebook ratings. Among its most recent honors is an unprecedented sixth consecutive designation as "World's Best" large-ship cruise line in the 2001 readers' survey conducted by Travel + Leisure magazine. Crystal also outscored all other cruise lines, large- and small-ship, for the fifth time. Crystal Cruises is booked exclusively through professional travel agents. For a complimentary brochure, please call 800.820.6663. Visit the web site at www.crystalcruises.com. SOURCE: Crystal
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NEW COOKBOOK NOW AVAILABLE FROM CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES
MIAMI (09/05/01) - Carnival Cruise Lines has issued a new cookbook, The Carnival Experience, offering easy-to-follow recipes for creating many of the tantalizing dishes featured aboard the "Fun Ship" fleet.
Launched in conjunction with Carnival's Total Choice Dining(SM), cruising's most comprehensive dining program offering the widest variety of casual and formal options at sea, the 150-page cookbook includes recipes and photographs for nearly 100 different mouth-watering entrees, appetizers, soups, salads, side dishes and desserts, all of which were created by Carnival's master chefs and adapted for readers' home kitchens.
Featured within the publication are a number of new dishes, including Belon Oyster Ceviche with Beluga Caviar on Pickled Fennel Roots, Ahi Tuna on Grilled Pineapple with Wasabi and Lime Mustard, as well as longtime favorites such as Broiled Chilean Sea Bass with Truffle Butter, Caribbean Pepper Pot Soup, and "Hay and Straw," egg fettuccine with sun dried tomatoes and fresh spinach.
Several dishes, including New England Crab Cakes on Roasted Pepper Remoulade and Lobster Bisque, are taken directly from the menu of the Nouveau Supper Club, the line's first upscale "steakhouse-style" alternative restaurant which debuted aboard the 88,500-ton Carnival Spirit earlier this year. A similar venue will be featured on the Carnival Pride when it enters service Jan. 12, 2002. An entire chapter is also devoted to Carnival's health-conscious Nautica Spa Fare with recipes for a variety of delicious "guilt-free" selections, including Marinated Thai Beef with Pomelo, Steamed Turbot in Lobster and Lemon Grass Broth, and Pears and Field Greens in Saffron-Walnut Dressing.
Recipes for creating such decadent desserts as Coconut Crepes with Passion Fruit Mousse and Black Forest Cherry Roll, along with a helpful "Chef's Notes" section offering recipes for stocks, sauces, condiments, glazes and dressings, are included, as well.
"Dining is a highlight of any 'Fun Ship' cruise and this new cookbook reflects not only the diversity of Carnival's culinary offerings but also the creativity and commitment to quality continually demonstrated by our chefs," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president.
The Carnival Experience is currently available in the gift shops
aboard the line's 15 ships at a cost of $18. SOURCE: Carnival
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NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE'S FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT
FREESTYLE CRUISING SHIP MAKES ITS DEBUT
Norwegian Sun Provides Greater Freedom and an Unprecedented Choice of Dining Options
MIAMI -- Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) welcomed Norwegian Sun, the newest member of its fleet, on August 31, 2001 with a handover ceremony at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. The 1,936-passenger, 78,000-ton sister ship to Norwegian Sky is NCL's first ship purpose built for Freestyle Cruising, and features more dining options than any other ship in the North American market.
The ship kicks off the fall 2001 season with a 16-day "Path of the Vikings" maiden voyage on Sept. 10, 2001, sailing from Southampton, England to New York. Following a series of 12-day Canada/New England cruises round-trip from New York, Norwegian Sun will sail a 14-day Eastern seaboard/Caribbean cruise on Nov. 3 from New York to Miami, where the ship will offer seven-day Western Caribbean cruises through Apr. 6, 2002.
After Norwegian Sun's 14-day trans-Atlantic cruise, NCL will offer Europe's most comprehensive cruising and Cruisetour program with more choices and flexibility than any other cruise line in Europe. Norwegian Sun will offer seven-, 12-, 14- and 21-day cruises plus Cruisetours exclusive to NCL such as the Classic Europe, a 14-night tour with an excursion on the Bernina-Express Train in Switzerland and a 12-night Italian Cruisetour showcasing Montecatini, a picturesque city in the heart of Tuscany. One of the newest ships in the Mediterranean, Norwegian Sun will end its European season with a 17-day trans-Atlantic cruise on Nov. 21, 2002.
"We are extremely excited about our first ship purpose-built for Freestyle Cruising, a concept which offers our guests complete freedom of choice in Canada/New England, Caribbean and Europe," said Colin Veitch, president and chief executive officer of NCL. "The new Norwegian Sun offers passengers the same amenities as a five-star land-based resort with outstanding restaurants, excellent service, and an inviting and elegant atmosphere, while cruising to some of the most beautiful areas in the world."
With more restaurants onboard than any other ship in the North American market, Norwegian Sun shines brightly offering passengers an unprecedented choice of cuisine at sea.
Where To Eat? More Choices Than Days in the Week
Norwegian Sun offers the flexibility of nine different restaurants for passengers to choose from, including 10 distinctive menus every evening. On a seven-day cruise, this gives passengers the option of eating in a different restaurant every night of the week without ever dining in the main restaurants. Choices include:
Four Seasons Restaurant - One of two main restaurants serving traditional fare
Seven Seas Restaurant - A second main restaurant focusing on contemporary cuisine
il Adagio - A formal Italian restaurant
Le Bistro - An intimate restaurant featuring gourmet French fare
Ginza - A Japanese restaurant featuring a sushi bar and teppanyaki room
East Meets West - A high-end Pacific Rim restaurant featuring a fusion of Californian, Hawaiian and Asian cuisine; this room's focal point will be a live lobster tank (guests can select their own lobsters)
Las Ramblas - A Spanish Tapas bar with a full selection of Tapas dishes and authentic entertainment
Garden Café / Great Outdoor Café - Indoor/outdoor buffet-style café serving breakfast, lunch and dinner including "food action stations"
Pacific Heights - "Healthy Living" restaurant featuring spa menus and dishes from Cooking Light magazine.
As part of the Freestyle Cruising concept, passengers enjoy open seating in the two main restaurants, beginning at 5:30 p.m. to midnight every evening, allowing them to choose when, where and with whom they wish to eat. Guests can also take advantage of NCL's 24-hour room service menu.
In addition to its distinctive restaurants, Norwegian Sun offers a dedicated lifestyle area for passenger enrichment, larger staterooms and a new stateroom category--mini suites with balconies.
Sweet Success
More Room in Cabins and Suites
While Norwegian Sun's passengers enjoy the added dining options, they are also certain to appreciate the added size of many of the vessel's cabins. Norwegian Sun offers more than 650 outside staterooms, or 67 percent in total. Outside cabins with balconies (432 total) provide 172 square-feet of space with plenty of closet and drawer space. Thirty mini-suites with balconies measure 267 square-feet. The ship's four Owner's Suites, located forward above the ship's bridge, boast an impressive 502 square-feet each.
In keeping with the goal of the Freestyle Cruising concept--to provide an overall sense of personal freedom--a new lifestyle area/learning center, located on Promenade Deck 6, is also available. This area provides space for classes, allowing passengers the opportunity to enrich both the body and the mind.
Other amenities on Norwegian Sun include a two-story main show lounge that doubles as a late-night disco, two pools, five whirlpools, a large casino, an Internet Café with 24 computer stations, full service health spa and salon, wine bar, cigar club, observation lounge, conference room, library, chapel, card room, shopping gallery, children's playroom and separate teen center, video arcade and children's pool.
Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line is an international cruise company and industry innovator that currently operates a fleet of eight ships sailing to more than 200 ports around the world. NCL is currently building two other new ships: Norwegian Star, a 2,200-passenger ship that will be NCL's largest (delivery in November 2001); and Norwegian Dawn, a 2,200-passenger sister ship to Norwegian Star (delivery in December 2002).
For further information on NCL, contact a professional travel agent. SOURCE: NCL
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