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New Enhancements For Ruby

With Ruby Princess scheduled to launch in November 2008; Princess Cruises have introduced a range of new shipboard services and features.

New additions to the range of facilities and services offered includes the option of a pub lunch, exclusive breakfast options, a diverse range of enrichment programs, new stage shows as well as additional wireless internet connection.

Many of these additional services are expected to be added to other ships within the Princess Cruises fleet.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

CRUISE Service Award Winners

Princess Cruises has announced the winners of its second annual C.R.U.I.S.E. service awards, that awards the top land tours for each major location.

The winning tours were chosen from an extensive list of more than 120 shore excursions.

The land tours that came out winners, included; The Explore Anchorage City Tour, Dog Sled Demonstration and Ride, Denali Fly Fishing Tour, Alaskan Hummer Tour, Kenai Canyon River Rafting and Trapper Creek Homestead Tour.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

Star Princess Transformation Revealed

Princess Cruises’ Star Princess has left drydock are three weeks of transformations. The drydock has seen the ships atrium transform into a piazza as well as the addition of an adults-only retreat and a movies under the stars screen.

Many of these features already exist on the newer members of the fleet but due to popularity they are to be added to older members of the fleet as well. The other two ships planned to receive the same features are Caribbean Princess in January 2009 and Golden Princess in April 2009.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

Princess Sail Hawaii

Princess Cruises have launched a new season of Hawaiian Islands sailings onboard Golden Princess.

Guests onboard will get the chance to experience the Hawaiian culture, traditions, arts and tastes.

Plenty of shore excursions and activities will be laid on for guests including learning to play the ukulele, visiting historic attractions and indulging in their top cuisine.

New shore excursions include a sunset sailing on the world’s largest Polynesian catamaran, snorkeling and visits to the historic Kilauea lighthouse and Limahuli botanical garden.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

CRUISE Awards 2008

After Princess Cruise’s recent Alaska Cruise season they have announced the winners of their annual C.R.U.I.S.E service awards.

These awards recognise the best shore excursions in Alaska and the Northwest. The winners are determined by the passengers onboard Princess Cruises.
The Tour Guide of the Season and Dock Representative of the Season receive $100, a letter of commendation, a plaque, a ship tour and lunch onboard with their family. Whilst the Shore Excursion of the Season winners receive a plaque and a letter of commendation, a tour of the ship, and lunch onboard for company officials.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

Romance on the Ruby

For the launch of Ruby Princess, Princess Cruises have announced a ‘Romance on the Ruby’ contest. This contest is designed to give 10 couples the chance to attend the naming festivities for the ship on 6th November 2008 to 8Th November 2008 in Fort Lauderdale.

The ship will be christened by celebrity couple Trista and Ryan Sutter who celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary this autumn. Trista and Ryan will be joined by the 10 lucky couples who with the romance contest.

To enter the competition contestants are to write a 250 word essay about their romantic milestone and why they would deserve a getaway to celebrate. The 10 winners will received an all-expenses-paid trip to the inaugural as well as a two night sailing onboard Ruby Princess. Out of the 10 finalists Trista and Ryan will select an overall winner who will win a seven day sailing onboard the new ship.

In her first year of sailing Ruby Princess will begin with seven day weekly sailings from Fort Lauderdale to the Western Caribbean.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

Princess Cruises Far East

After last years early sell out for the allocation of Far East cruises, Princess Cruises this year are offering UK based clients the chance to book when their US cousins can.

The cruises will be aboard Diamond Princess and the renamed (formally Tahitian Princess) Ocean Princess. After a brief spell in the Far East, Diamond Princess will move to Australia for a series of Australia and New Zeeland cruises.

Princess Cruises have also announced that Pacific Princess will partake on a 108 night round the world cruise.

Sea Trials Complete for Ruby Princess

Princess Cruise’s Ruby Princess has completed her sea trials in preparation for her debut on November 8th. This is a major milestone for the new cruise ship as she was put through her paces on a four day sea trial. Ruby Princess had to carry out a series of maneuvers over the four days to test her navigational equipment, propulsion and steering.

Ruby Princess is now back in the shipyard under going some more exterior and interior finishing in time for her maiden voyage; a seven day Western Caribbean cruise in November.

Ruby Princess is set to feature 900 cabins with private balconies, a ‘Movies Under the Stars’ which is a giant outdoor movie screen, ‘The Sanctuary’ which is an adult-only retreat and plenty of top restaurants filled with cuisine to leave you wanting more. Ruby Princess is to play host to similar features as those of her sister ships Emerald Princess and Crown Princess so it all promises to be very exciting.

Two Princess Ship to be Remodeled

It has been announced that two Princess Cruises ships are to be remodeled so that they can add a few of the popular amenities already onboard some of the newer cruise ships. The cruise ships due to undergo this remodeling are Star Princess and Caribbean Princess. The facilities to be added are the piazza-style street café, the adult’s only sanctuary, Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant as well as seven new suites.

The features are expected to be added to Star Princess in San Francisco during September. Caribbean Princess will then undergo her remodeling in January 2009.

“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 the remodeling possible some of the current facilities are to be relocated, these facilities include the sports court, casino, internet café and wedding chapel.

Seven New Ships due in 2007

Estimated Inaugural: February, 2007
Cruise Line: Carnival Cruises
Ship Name: Carnival Freedom
Size: GRT: 110,000
Capacity: 2974 (double occupancy)
Builder: Fincantieri – Sestri, Italy

This is an additional Conquest class vessel ordered as part of a four-ship deal with Fincantieri, two of which ended up going to the Carnival brand. As a Conquest-class, it will not fit through the Panama Canal. Given that there is an almost two-year lag between this ship and the previous one of this class delivered (Carnival Liberty), there will likely be some progressions in the design.

Estimated Inaugural: April, 2007
Cruise Line: MSC Cruises
Ship Name: MSC Orchestra
Size: GRT: 89,600
Capacity: 2,550 lower berths – 3,000 total & 1,000 crew
Builder: Aker France – St. Nazaire, France

This will be the second of the Musica class.

Estimated Inaugural: May 19, 2007
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Ship Name: Liberty of the Seas
Size: GRT: 160,000
Capacity: 3600 lower berths
Builder: Aker Finnyards – Finland

This will be the second of the “Ultra Voyager-class” When it is delivered the class will still have bragging rights to being the largest passenger ships in the world.

Estimated Inaugural: Spring, 2007
Cruise Line: Princess Cruises
Ship Name: Emerald Princess
Size: GRT: 116,000
Capacity: 3100
Builder: Fincantieri – Monfalcone, Italy

This is an additional Caribbean-class vessel ordered as part of the four-ship order with Fincantieri, the only one in the order designated for Princess. It will be the third in the series. It has not necessarily been designated for the Caribbean as the previous two were, but it will likely have a long life in whichever ocean it starts since it will not fit through the Panama Canal.

Estimated Inaugural: May, 2007
Cruise Line: Costa Cruises
Ship Name: Costa Serena
Size: GRT: 112,000
Capacity: 3000 (double occupancy), total capacity 3,780
Builder: Fincantieri – Sestri, Italy

This will be the second of Costa’s Concordia class. Deployment is thought to be year round in the Mediterranean.

Estimated Inaugural: October, 2007
Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
Ship Name: Norwegian Gem
Size: GRT: 92,000
Capacity: 2,384 lower berths
Builder: Meyer Werft (Papenburg Germany yard)

This will be the third in the Norwegian Jewel series with 540 staterooms and suites with private balconies.

Estimated Inaugural: December 11, 2007
Cruise Line: Cunard Cruises
Ship Name: Queen Victoria
Size: GRT: 90,000
Capacity: 2000
Builder: Fincantieri – Marghera, Italy

This ship will be similar to HAL’s line of Vista-class vessels, but with Cunard’s own twists in the design and slightly larger. It will be built to Panamax standards, so it can be used in both the Atlantic and Pacific. 86% of the cabins will be outside, 71% of those with private verandahs. In September 2004 the design was enlarged as part of an order of four other ships from Fincantieri. It was originally slated for 88,000 tons and a capacity of 1968. Eleven meters were added to the length raising the tonnage to 90,000 and increasing the capacity to 2000, but the ship will still be able to transit the Panama Canal.

Initial Deployment: The first two voyages will be round trips from Southampton. Cunard says it will be used for a mix of cruises, ocean crossings and world cruises.