Cruise Guide: New ship launches pending
By Mike Coleman Could it get any better for cruise ship travel aficionados? Over the next 12 months, a series of new ships will be launched by various cruise lines, and a host of other vessels are now being constructed in shipyards around the globe for debuts in the coming years. Kicking off the parade …...
Cruise Guide: O’Donnell to christen Norwegian Pearl
By Michael Coleman Emmy Award winner Rosie O’Donnell will serve as godmother to Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) newest vessel – Norwegian Pearl – during christening ceremonies in Miami next month. The 93,500-ton ship will be the ninth new vessel in six years for NCL. Among the onboard innovations is a cruise...
Cruise Guide: Holiday merriment . . . at sea
By Michael Coleman Holiday cheer and merriment may best be enjoyed this season aboard a cruise ship of your choice. “Cruises provide travelers with a chance to thoroughly revel in the holidays, leaving the hassles of everyday life behind,” said Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association...
Cruise Guide: Celebrity to offer wedding vow renewal packages
By Michael Coleman With a host of romantic destinations serving as a backdrop, guests aboard Celebrity Cruises might want to consider renewing their wedding vows on an upcoming sailing. The line, in partnership with The Wedding Experience, offers two packages. “Vow renewals are the perfect romantic gift for spouses to give each...
Cruise Guide: New luxury line, Cunard monument unveiled in Halifax
By Michael Coleman Halifax, the Nova Scotia capital so steeped in maritime history, stood briefly this month at the center of the cruise world. It wasn’t the nearby Citadel or picturesque Peggy’s Cove that garnered the attention, however. The news instead focused on the building of a new luxury cruise vessel in the...
Cruise Guide: Big or small: Cruise ships drawn to Caribbean
By Michael Coleman Some 40-plus years after mass-market passenger vessels first began sailing to the region, Caribbean voyages are hotter than ever. Island culture, turquoise waters and sun-drenched beaches have been drawing passengers since the 1960’s, and while the scenery is no less stellar today, a host of sleek,...
Cruise Guide: Sun-drenched Caribbean voyages unveiled
By Michael Coleman You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to conclude that Caribbean cruise itineraries are the most popular in the world. Over the past few years, port calls in Alaska and Europe have gained momentum among travelers seeking to expand their horizons, but the hands-down winner is just a few hundred miles...
Cruise Guide: Italian flair woos passengers to MSC Cruises
By Michael Coleman With Sophia Loren as spokesperson and a cruise experience that promises to be “Beautiful, Passionate, Italian,” what’s not to like about an emerging star in the North American cruise market? MSC Cruises may not be a household name here just yet, but a $3 billion fleet expansion, a marketing...
Cruise Guide: Crystal Symphony undergoes extreme makeover
By Michael Coleman One of the world’s top luxury cruise ships will receive a $23 million stem-to-stern makeover this fall during a two-week dry dock at BAE Shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia. The 940-guest, 50,000-ton Crystal Symphony, a perennial favorite among well-heeled cruise travelers, will enter the shipyard October 31...
Cruise Guide: Red-Hot Swedish Icebar Sizzles
 By Michael Coleman STOCKHOLM Sweden – In a city renowned for its legends, a new “hometown hero” is emerging. This Baltic playground has long been the domain of iconic figures through the ages from inventor Alfred Nobel and actress Greta Garbo to modern sports legends Bjorn Borg and Annika Sorenstam. But...