The Cruise Porter

Publication of All About Cruises, Inc.

IN THIS ISSUE

• Fuel Surcharges
• Carnival Renovations
• Celebrity Solstice's New Build
• Costa Maya Reopening Early
• New Ship Builds for 2008
• Specials
• Hot Deal of the Month
• Featured Cruises
• Port Spotlight
• Recipe of the Month

LINKS

• Cruise Lines
• Destinations
• Already Booked
• Beyond the Decks
• Cruise News
• Cruise Reviews
• Bridal Registry
• Contact Us

Hello Cruisers,

Welcome to the All About Cruises Mailing List. You have either signed up for the mailing list, requested information from online, or have booked a cruise with us. If for any reason you wish to no long receive these emails please reply with "unsubscribe" or email mailinglist@allaboutcruisesnc.net.

Periodically we will send you specials and other information that you may be interested in. We have catered it to individual cruise lines so you may only get what you are interested in, or you can get them all! As soon as new specials are posted on the website, we will pass them on to you and let you take on the savings!

Please check out our website and feel free to send us suggestions. We would love to hear about your cruise you have recently taken so send us a story and we will publish it on our site. If you have any family or friends that have been on a cruise or may be interested in a cruise, send them to the website to check it out and encourage them to sign up for the mailing list.

Whether this is your first cruise, or your hundreth one, you will not be disappointed with us, let us help make your vacation dreams become a reality.

BON VOYAGE!

NEWS FROM THE HIGH SEAS

All Cruise Lines Implement Fuel Surcharges

We want to inform you that because of rapidly escalating fuel prices, Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, the Yachts of Seabourn, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Princess have implemented a fuel supplement of $5.00 per person per day.

The fuel supplement, which applies only to the first and second guests in a stateroom only, not to exceed $70.00 per person per voyage, is effective immediately on all bookings for voyages departing on or after February 1, 2008.

The fuel supplement will apply to all new and existing bookings for cruises departing on or after February 1, 2008.

We thank you for your support and understanding.....

Carnival Unveils Design Details for Resort-Style Pool Areas and Carnival WaterWorks on Fantasy-Class Ships

Carnival Cruise Lines is unveiling specific design details for its stunning new resort-style pool areas and spectacular “Carnival WaterWorks” aqua parks on its eight Fantasy-class ships, part of the line’s $250 million “Evolutions of Fun” enhancement program.

“A quintessential part of the Carnival cruise experience centers around the ships’ pools and outdoor decks,” said Vicki Freed, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “With the ‘Evolutions of Fun’ program, we have focused very heavily on making these areas absolutely fabulous.”

The new resort-style main pool areas, located mid-ship on Lido Deck, will feature striking umbrellas providing shaded seating at pool’s edge along the tiled “beach” bordering the circumference of the pool. The pool and beach area will feature eye-catching blue tile with yellow accents, reminiscent of the Caribbean’s aqua waters infused with tropical sunshine. 

A thatched roof will cover one of the two whirlpools at either end of the swimming pool, providing guests the option of shaded or sunny relaxation in the bubbling water. Towering faux palm trees, along with more thatched roofing over new, centrally positioned staircases further enhance the tropical resort-style ambiance.

New mosaic tiles behind the two bars which occupy the forward corners of the deck area, along with thatch-work above, will create a fresh look, while the bar stool seating areas are given a more spacious, open feel by the removal of staircases previously positioned just in front that partially blocked views to the open deck. New tile-work and thatched roofing elements will also be featured in the outdoor food service area just behind the performance stage. 

Spectacular new “Carnival WaterWorks” aqua parks will be introduced on Verandah Deck aft on Fantasy-class ships and will feature a four-deck-high, 300-foot-long spiraling tube water slide, the biggest, longest and most elaborate in cruising. A separate 82-foot-long triple-lane waterslide will be featured, as well, while much of this deck area will be occupied by an expansive spray park that will offer multiple and varied water spray apparatus, creating cool and exhilarating fun for kids and adults, alike.

Both the mid-ship pool areas and “Carnival WaterWorks” parks will be accented by comfortable lounge chairs and teak decking.

The first two ships to begin receiving these features, as well as “Serenity” adults-only deck areas, are the Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration later this year, with implementation on the balance of the line’s Fantasy-class fleet expected to be completed over the next few years.

“Evolutions of Fun” is a $250 million product enhancement initiative that began in 2005 and includes renovations to virtually every guest area on the line’s eight Fantasy-class ships, the Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise. 

Many aspects of the “Evolutions of Fun” program have already been implemented on several ships, including fully remodeled staterooms, suites, and bathrooms, flat-screen televisions in staterooms and select public areas, atrium lobby bars, updated sound and lighting systems in various lounges and clubs, coffee bars, nine-hole miniature golf courses, new art and photo galleries, New York-style delis in the Lido restaurants, and purpose-built conference facilities.

The program also includes makeovers of the ships’ 12,000-square-foot spa facilities, custom-designed clubs for the 12-14 year old age group under the line’s top-rated “Camp Carnival” children’s program, inter-connecting staterooms on some ships, and elaborate new sound and lighting systems in the ships’ main show lounges. 

“The Fantasy-class ships are already tremendously popular, and the upgrades and enhancements we are introducing through ‘Evolutions of Fun’ will take the guest experience to an entirely new level,” said Freed.

Digital renderings of the resort-style pools and “Carnival WaterWorks,” along with additional information on the “Evolutions of Fun” initiative, can be viewed at www.evolutionsoffun.com.

Carnival is the world’s most popular cruise line with a fleet of 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 16 days in length to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Europe, Bermuda, the Greek Isles and South America.

© 2007 Carnival Cruise Lines

Celebrity Solstice's Next Innovation is Grass

There's nothing like a picnic in Central Park -- even on a snowy day in January. Last night, Celebrity Cruises brought fried chicken, pastel polo shirts and bocce ball to New York's famous Tavern on the Green to announce an industry first for its upcoming Celebrity Solstice: a 1/2-acre lawn for sports and relaxation. "The Lawn Club," on the top-most deck, aft, will feature live growing grass (not artificial turf) and a full-time groundskeeper. It will be the central element of the ship's outdoor experience.

The 118,000-ton, 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice, the cruise line's biggest ship ever, debuts in late 2008.

The area is three times larger than Rockefeller Center's ice skating rink (and more than two times the size of Centre Court at Wimbledon's All England Lawn Tennis Club). Among its features are:

Cruising's first bocce at sea. There will be two courts for bocce ball, a game of skill imported from Italy. It's similar to lawn bowling and very popular in places like Napa Valley.

A putting green, with areas of slight unevenness for more challenging play.

The Patio on the Lawn, next to the glassblowing studio where the Hot Glass Show will be held, will serve snacks and coffee al fresco.

Passengers can also use The Lawn Club for simply soaking up sun or reading a book. There will be no charge to utilize the putting green or any other area of The Lawn Club, though there will of course be a limited number of putters available for borrowing.

.

On hand for the big reveal were Dan Hanrahan, President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, and Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. (Celebrity's parent company). Both spoke from a podium lined with grass -- Fain removed his shoes and socks to stand on it barefoot.

It's not as easy to build a lawn onboard a cruise ship as you might think. First of all, the grass and the water and irrigation systems used to sustain it weigh a ton -- 150 metric tons in total to be precise. To support the extra weight, the ship was widened slightly during the architectural phase.

Also, the rigors of cruise travel (saltwater, sun, wind and foot traffic) necessitated the search for a particularly hearty type of grass. To that end, Celebrity brought in "grass experts" -- landscape architects, irrigation specialists, and turf and soil scientists from the University of Florida -- to help select the specific variety that could best withstand day-to-day cruising.

Other uses for the lawn are yet to be determined; the dramatic night lighting seen in the rendering above, for example, could be the backdrop for outdoor concerts. We'll keep you posted as more details are revealed.

Celebrity Solstice is currently under construction at Papenburg, Germany's Meyer Werft. Siblings Equinox and Eclipse, due out in 2009 and 2010 respectively, will also feature The Lawn Club.

© 2008 Cruise Critic, Melissa Brown

Costa Maya Reopening Three Months Ahead of Schedule

Cruise Ship New Builds to Set Sail in 2008

Royal Caribbean - Independence of the Seas - May

Carnival - Carnival Splendor - July

Holland America - Eurodam - Summer

Princess - Ruby Princess - November

Celebrity - Celebrity Solstice - Fall

UNAVAILABLE

PORT SPOTLIGHT

Canada & New England
by Roy Witman © 2007

Americans often dream of visiting faraway lands or some distant, tropical paradise. We tend to forget that we have some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world - as do our neighbors to the north. Before venturing too far from home, take a moment to discover what wonders can unfold on a cruise to Canada & New England.

Many cruise lines, including Carnival, have begun offering trips to this majestic region over the past few years. The voyages have been met with great success, as Americans rediscover a little homegrown excitement.

If touring onboard a Carnival ship, you'll depart from New York for a four-, five- or seven-day cruise. As you make your way toward Boston, home of the Red Sox and endless bowls of clam “chowda,” legends will come alive. From the history of the Old North Church and Paul Revere's home to the excitement of Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston gives you a way to step back in time.

Continuing north on the Atlantic Ocean, you call on the port at Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. Take a Hummer back-road adventure and see the best of this coastal town. An experienced driver will escort you to Shipwreck's Cove and other popular sites filled with photo opportunities. Explore Halifax Harbor with tall- ship sailing at the direction of the captain and his crew. Even ride in a horse-drawn trolley and more. From the turning of the leaves in fall to the lapping of waves on the beach in summer, Halifax gives a unique experience year round.

Saint John, New Brunswick offers a delightful array of excursions to choose from, including activities and tours in Fundy National Park. With natural waterfalls and towering cliffs that plunge into the ocean below, this park is overflowing with wildlife and stunning scenery. And, did you know, the Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world? You can also experience a phenomenon called “reversing falls.” Every six hours the tide either rises or falls some 28 feet, causing the currents to reverse. It's like nothing you've ever seen before! Bicycle tours, kayak adventures, lobster bakes, harbor cruises, jet boat rides (in the reversing falls) and so much more await you in Saint John.

Because of the historic significance of the cities you'll visit, cruises to Canada & New England make for exceptional family vacations. With a wide range of tours, exhibits and activities, there are excursions for every age range, physical ability and interest. Thinking of a romantic getaway? Canada & New England cruises take you into some awe-inspiring natural beauty sure to rekindle any romance. Walks along the shore, unhurried bike rides across quaint covered bridges and more will have you and your sweetheart falling in love all over again.

Regardless of when, why or with whom you cruise, you'll find a renewed sense of appreciation for America and our northern neighbors.