Carnival Cruise Lines will increase capacity on one week Southern Caribbean itineraries from San Juan, as well as on its four- and five-day cruises from Miami, deploying newer, larger ships in both markets.
Carnival Valor will replace the 2,758-passenger Carnival Victory, which will reposition from San Juan to Miami to assume the Carnival Destiny’s four- and five-day cruises beginning Feb. 4, 2013. Carnival Victory will be the newest and largest ship to operate year-round four- and five-day voyages from South Florida.
Additionally, Carnival Destiny will offer a 16-day transatlantic crossing departing Miami Feb. 4 and arriving Civitavecchia (Rome) on Feb. 20, 2013. Featured ports on the crossing include Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal; Malaga, Spain; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Genoa and Livorno, Italy.
Beginning Feb. 10, 2013, Carnival Valor will launch seven-day Southern Caribbean sailings from San Juan becoming the port’s newest and largest year-round ship. The itinerary features extended calls at five tropical islands – St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; Bridgetown, Barbados; St. Lucia, West Indies; St. Kitts, West Indies; and St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles. In addition to featuring some of the Caribbean’s most beautiful beaches, these seaside destinations are known for their world-class snorkeling and scuba diving, as well as water sports opportunities.
Carnival Victory will become the newest and largest ship to offer year-round four- and five-day cruises from Miami when it launches service on Feb. 4, 2013. Carnival Victory’s Miami-based schedule features three distinctly different itineraries, providing consumers with a variety of convenient and affordable cruise options departing from one of America’s top tourist destinations.
Four-day “long weekend” cruises departing Thursdays call at Key West, Fla., and Cozumel, Mexico; five-day cruises departing Mondays include stops at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands; the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay; and Nassau, The Bahamas. Five-day voyages departing Saturdays feature George Town, Grand Cayman; and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Each of these destinations offers a truly unique vacation experience, with miles of gorgeous white-sand beaches and an interesting array of shore excursion choices such as zip-lining, horseback riding, kayaking, and more.
For additional information visit www.carnival.com or contact any travel agent.
16 February
In celebration of “Love Boat National Holiday” — which others call Valentine’s Day — Princess cruises is offering steep discounts on 2012 Europe cruises, available through February 20.
Up to 30 Europe cruise itineraries are included in the sale, including cruises to the romantic cities and islands of the Mediterranean and Greek Isles, as well as “bucket list” destinations such as the Holy Land or British Isles.
In addition to the sale fares, passengers booking interior or oceanview staterooms can receive an onboard credit of $25 (cruises up to 9 days) to $50 (cruises 10 days or longer), and in balcony staterooms or above can get credits of $50 (cruises up to 9 days) or $100 (for sailings 10 days or longer). All onboard credits are offered per stateroom.
Examples of sale fares include:
Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent or by visiting the company’s website at www.princess.com.
13 February
One result of the Costa Concordia disaster is that the cruise industry has adopted a stricter emergency drill policy making it mandatory for cruise ships to hold lifeboat drills prior to departure from home port. Participating international shipping organizations include Cruise Lines International Association, European Cruise Council, and the Passenger Shipping Association.
Costa Concordia had left Civitavecchia, Italy when the ship ran aground before the ship’s drill was scheduled, although only 600 of the 4200 people onboard had embarked in that port. Due to the fact the ship listed and ended up on its side a lifeboat drill for all passengers wouldn’t have made any difference. At least seven bodies were found at designated muster station in their life jackets.
In other news about the crash Reuters reports the ship’s Captain, Francesco Schettino, has admitted he knew as soon as his ship struck a rock off the island of Giglio on January 13 that he had made a catastrophic error and his 30-year career at sea was over.
Reuters says “as he came to within a quarter of a nautical mile of the coast, in water he believed to be deep enough to be safe, he saw foam breaking on what appeared to be a submerged outcrop and turned sharply, exposing the side of the hull to the sharp rock.”
The Captain told magistrates investigating the accident “I may have done something rash, I did do something rash, but God would have made it alright for me if I hadn’t set the rudder to starboard.
10 February
Carnival Cruise Lines will base Carnival Splendor in New York on a year-round schedule of Caribbean cruises starting March 23, 2013 replacing the older and smaller Carnival Miracle.
The 3,006-passenger ship will sail on eight-day Caribbean cruises with three uniquely different itineraries that showcase the brilliant diversity of destinations throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida. The eight-day itineraries include Bahamas/Florida cruises with port calls to Port Canaveral (Orlando), Fla., Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas; Eastern Caribbean departures with visits to San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. and Grand Turk; and Exotic Eastern Caribbean cruises to the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk and Nassau. There will also be a special seven-day Bermuda cruise departing April 16, 2013.
An 18-day “Brazilian & Caribbean Splendor” voyage sailing from Buenos Aires to New York March 5-23, 2013, visits Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, and Fortaleza, Brazil; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands.
For additional information visit Carnival’s website.
09 February
I just came across a documentary released in the United Kingdom that shows the minute-by-minute terrifying ordeal of the Costa Concordia disaster with video taken by passengers on their cell phones. Add to that are interviews with crew and experienced cruisers plus the Italian Coast Guard and a maritime expert. Best of all, it becomes very clear what happened and why the ship end up on her side.
08 February
Cruise Deals
Cruise 1st offer a range of cruise deals all over the world.
Find cruises to suit your tastes and destinations at expedia.com
Find great deals on all-inclusive trips to the Caribbean.
ShipCritic Blog is a labor of love by Anne Campbell, a journalist who has been covering the cruise industry since 1993. Why a blog? This newfangled technology is the best way of interacting with cruisers, both first timers and veterans, who also share a passion for seeing the world by ship.
