The two early-evening shows offer fun for the whole family while the later performances will feature adult-oriented comedy.   Located in an aft lounge, the clubs will showcase the talents of established comedians as well as rising stars, with approximately 10 shows per voyage offered on short cruise itineraries and approximately 20 shows per cruise on longer length departures.

Comedy clubs are currently featured on Carnival Glory, Carnival Pride and Carnival Sensation and Carnival Dream with the concept being incorporated into the remainder of the fleet over the next several months.  When Carnival Magic enters service in May 2011, a Punchliner Comedy Club will also be featured on the line’s newest “Fun Ship.”

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Absurd Cruise Policies? Consumer advocate Chris Elliott frequently tackles cruise line policies that he believes aren’t consumer friendly.  In a recent column in the Orlando Sun Sentinel,  troubleshooter Elliott criticizes alternative restaurant surcharges, airline deviation fees, cruise contracts and maritime law in “Crazy Cruise: Seven Absurdities of the Sea”.   See if you agree.  To read his article, click here.

*** Carnival’s New Round-trip Hawaii Cruises. After Carnival Cruise Lines announced its first round-trip Hawaii cruises from L.A. and San Diego, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Hawaii editor, Jeanne Cooper,  points out that the 15-day voyages include four days at sea in each direction.  Add to this, “interior cabins start at $1,199 base rate for the Los Angeles route, $1,299 for San Diego, per person with double occupancy (plus government taxes, fees, gratuities and excursions.) Ocean-view rooms cost another $300, balcony staterooms an extra $600 per person,” writes Cooper.   Does this appeal to you or are you like Cooper, who prefers to fly and skip the long time at sea.  Click here.

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The promotion is available on a wide variety of three- to eight-day “Fun Ship” cruises departing from August 2010 through February 2011, including voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii.  Bookings must be made between July 12-30, 2010, to qualify.

The “1-2-3 Go! Sale’s” cash back option is provided in the form of a shipboard credit that can be redeemed once on board.  Guests will receive a shipboard credit of up to $80 per stateroom on three- to five-day cruises and up to $160 per stateroom on voyages of six days or longer.  The shipboard credit is automatically applied to guests’ on-board accounts when they board their cruise and can be redeemed toward a wide range of shipboard purchases.  Any unused funds at the end of the cruise will be returned to guests on debarkation day in the form of a check.

The best available upgrade feature applies to new individual bookings for categories 4A and higher. Upgrades are available within specific stateroom accommodation types (i.e., interior to interior, ocean view to ocean view, balcony to balcony). Guests are encouraged to book now to secure the best possible choice of staterooms.

The cash back and best available upgrade features must be combined with the line’s “Fun Select” rates to be eligible for this promotion.  With “Fun Select” rates, guests can select the stateroom of their choice based on deck, location and accommodation category.

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One of the best parts of my week is watching industry cruise news at a new YouTube channel, Cruisenow Cruise Channel, for a humorous update on what the various cruise lines are up to.

Click here to check out this week’s show.

Created and hosted by travel agent John Keen, co-founder of the cruise agency Cruisenow, the weekly show brings a much-needed humorous slant to seagoing vacations.

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From May to November, 2011, the second Carnival Dream sister ship, the 3690-passenger Carnival Magic, will debut with a schedule of seven-, nine- and 12-day Mediterranean cruises operating round-trip from Barcelona.

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Sailing from Baltimore; Norfolk, Va; New York and Charleston S.C., Carnival’s ships will visit  Bermuda on six-, seven- and eight day sailings from April through November.  Six-day itineraries will dock in King’s Wharf while a three day stay is scheduled on seven- and eight-day cruises.

2011 Departure Dates

•       Baltimore (seven-day cruises on Carnival Pride) – April 10 and 17, Sept. 18, Oct. 2 and Nov. 6

•       New York (seven- and eight-day departures on Carnival Miracle) – April 14 and 21, and Sept. 11 and 27

•       Norfolk (six-day sailing on Carnival Glory) – Oct. 16

•       Charleston, S.C. (six-day voyages on Carnival Fantasy) – April 23, May 19, June 16, Aug. 25, Sept. 15 and Oct. 6

Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America and Royal Caribbean will cruise to Bermuda, spending mid-week in King’s Wharf or Hamilton (Holland America).

Do you think it will be crowded in Bermuda next year due to the growing number of East Coast scheduled sailings?

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Beginning December 10, 2010,  Carnival Spirit will begin sailing on the new itinerary which replaces previously scheduled eight-day Mexican Riviera itineraries.   Nine-day cruises will also call in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and La Paz.

Carnival Spirit will operate its new five- and nine-day Mexican Riviera schedule through April 1, 2011.  The Carnival Spirit will then offer its previously scheduled 12-day Hawaii cruises (April 10 and 22, 2011) and a full season of seven-day Alaska cruises departing from Seattle (beginning May 10, 2011).

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On January 16, 2011, Mariner of the Seas will reposition from Los Angeles on a 16-night itinerary to Valparaiso, Chile, followed by a 14-night voyage that cruises the Straits of Magellan and Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America to Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil. The ship will then offer a short Brazilian cruise season, before crossing the Atlantic to debut in Europe at its new seasonal homeport of Rome (Civitavecchia), where Mariner of the Seas will sail seven-night Western Mediterranean and 12-night Mediterranean Holy Land and Mediterranean Egypt itineraries. In November 2011, Mariner of the Seas will debut at Galveston to offer Texas vacationers two roundtrip seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries through April 2012.

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Among the offerings:

• Asia & Africa – 15 days from $1,599 per person
• Canada & New England – seven days from $549 per person
• Caribbean – seven days from $499 per person
• Europe – seven days from $1,099 per person
• Hawaii & South Pacific – 10 days from $1,099 per person
• Panama Canal – 10 days from $899 per person

To peruse the selected cruises in the promotion, visit World of Savings at Princess’ website.

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Carnival’s rates will rise five percent on 2010 peak season (June, July and August) cruise fares while NCL’s prices will go up seven percent on April 2.

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