IN THIS ISSUE

• Roayl Caribbean Reveals Central Park Details
• Celebrity's New No Smoking Policy
• Tahitian Princess Renamed
• New Passport Rules Set
• Carnival Increases Fuel Supplement Prices
• Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas Ready to Set Sail
• Specials
• Cruise of the Month
• Featured Cruises
• Antigua - Port Spotlight
• Ahi Tuna on Grilled Pineapple - Recipe of the Month

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NEWS FROM THE HIGH SEAS

In its latest evolution in cruise ship design, Royal Caribbean International's Project Genesis will bring the best of the land to sea with Central Park, a revolutionary design in which the center of the ship opens to the sky and features lush, tropical grounds spanning the length of a football field. An exquisite public gathering place featuring serene pathways, seasonal flower gardens and canopy trees, Central Park will provide cruisers with more choices in a unique outdoor space. One of the ship's most ground-breaking spaces, this new concept is the first of seven neighborhoods to be unveiled on Project Genesis. Each neighborhood will provide vacationers with the opportunity to seek out relevant experiences in various locales based on their personal style, preference or mood.

Elegant and lively, Central Park's central piazza will be the ship's "town square" which evolves from a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere during the day to a gathering space for alfresco dining and entertainment in the evening, where guests will enjoy concerts and street performances. The neighborhood is lined with balcony staterooms rising six decks high with views of the Park below and the sky above.

Surrounding this social space will be an array of restaurants, with choices ranging from fine dining to casual chic. Guests will have the option of an elegant dinner at the new 150 Central Park or a picnic lunch from the more casual Central Park Café, where they can sit outdoors and people-watch. Other dining choices will include: Giovanni's Table, an Italian restaurant; Vintages wine bar; and Royal Caribbean's signature Chops Grille steakhouse. Several bars will be scattered throughout the Park, including the Canopy Bar, located at one of two impressive glass-domed canopies, and the unique Rising Tide bar - the first moving bar at sea. Truly an engineering feat, Rising Tide will span three decks and allow cruisers to enjoy a cocktail as they slowly ascend into Central Park and then descend back into the public spaces below. Central Park also will have stylish boutique shops, showcasing a selection of upscale merchandise.

"Building such a large vessel allowed us to add even more of the choices and amenities that our guests value and Central Park is a dramatic addition to our already extensive array of exciting features," said Richard D. Fain, Chairman & CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "Central Park is the first of many dynamic neighborhoods on Project Genesis which will enable each guest to find his or her own space and activity."

"Our brand identity is founded in innovation and on delivering the best cruise vacation through 'WOW' experiences," stated Adam Goldstein, President & CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "Central Park is a true evolution of cruise ship design and allows us to provide our guests with not only a more varied selection of balcony accommodations, but also a stunning public venue that will be a central element of the ship, both during the day and at night."

Go online to our website to find our more details on the Central Park.

© 2008 Royal Caribbean International

Celebrity Cruises Revamps Smoking Policy First premium cruise line to join trend toward cleaner-air environment

Cruise enthusiasts may praise the virtues of "sea air," but to many of them, what matters more is clean air. As more hotels and restaurants worldwide implement stricter smoking policies in order to promote healthier air, Celebrity Cruises also is taking action. Beginning October 1, 2008, guests on Celebrity's ships will enjoy fresher air as a result of a new policy that disallows smoking in Celebrity's staterooms or on stateroom verandas. The policy also will reduce the number of public areas in which guests can smoke onboard.

"We are proud to be the first premium cruise line to set a new standard toward creating an environment of cleaner air on our ships," said Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. "We pay careful attention to what our guests have to say, and approximately 90 percent of them have told us they are non-smokers. By increasing the number of smoke-free areas onboard while still designating areas for those who smoke, our aim is to make the onboard experience as pleasant as possible for all of our guests."

The new policy, created after Celebrity polled past guests, will result in a cleaner, fresher and healthier environment on Celebrity's ships. Designated indoor areas where guests can smoke cigarettes include the port side of one lounge per ship and a designated slot machine area in each ship's casino. The new policy also designates outdoor areas where guests can smoke. These include the port side of the pool deck and sundecks on each ship, the port side of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Century and on Celebrity's Millennium class of ships, and the port side aft outside of Winter Garden on Celebrity Galaxy and Celebrity Mercury. Celebrity's new Solstice class of ships, launching with Celebrity Solstice late this year, will follow the new policy beginning with the first sailing. Celebrity Solstice's Lawn Club and the Sunset Bar at the Lawn Club will not allow smoking. Violations to Celebrity's smoking policy may result in a $250 cleaning fee charged to the guest's onboard account and may also be addressed through the line's guest conduct policy.

The new policy will go into effect on Celebrity's fleet on the first day of the first sailing to follow October 1:

Celebrity currently allows guests to smoke in staterooms, on stateroom verandas and in a number of indoor and outdoor public spaces. The exception is Celebrity Xpedition, the 92-person mega-yacht sailing year-round in the Galapagos Islands, which operates under a stricter policy than the rest of the fleet, allowing smoking only on the ship's outer decks, in designated areas.

©2008 Celebrity Cruises

Tahitian Princess to Be Renamed Ocean Princess

New U.S. Passport Rules Are Set -- Finally

Carnival Increases Fuel Supplement

Royal Caribbean International Takes Delivery of Independence Of The Seas
Third in Famed Freedom Class of Ships, Independence is the First to Sail in Europe

Continuing its legacy of creating revolutionary vacation experiences, Royal Caribbean International took delivery of its newest innovative ship - Independence of the Seas - during a ceremony at Aker Yards in Turku, Finland, today. Just days away from her debut in Europe, Independence of the Seas, is the third of the line's Freedom class of ships and will be the largest cruise ship ever to be home-ported in Europe, when she sails out of Southampton, United Kingdom, for her inaugural season. Independence shares the title of world's largest and most innovative cruise ship with sister-ships Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, which launched in the U.S. in May 2006 and 2007 respectively, and which offer Caribbean cruises from Miami, Florida.

In the first nationwide search of its kind in the United Kingdom, Royal Caribbean is bestowing the title of Godmother of Independence of the Seas to an ordinary woman who has done extraordinary things to further the well being of youth in her community. The search was conducted with the cruise line's charity partner and British five-time Olympic gold medalist, Sir Steve Redgrave. The four Godmother finalists - who were nominated by peers or family members - joined Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. chairman and CEO, Richard Fain at Aker Yards, to welcome Independence into service. The four finalists are Barbara Natasegra, Elizabeth Hill, Madeleine Henry and Sue Stones. The Godmother, who will be announced on April 18, will be selected by a distinguished panel of judges, including Sir Steve Redgrave; Royal Caribbean executives and guest judges. She will have the honor of participating in the inaugural celebrations and official naming ceremony in Southampton on April 30.

"We are delighted to welcome Independence of the Seas to our fleet and to introduce her to vacationers throughout the United Kingdom and Europe," said Adam Goldstein, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "Positioning one of our largest and newest ships in Southampton reaffirms Royal Caribbean's strong commitment to the region and will provide the opportunity for more European guests to experience the distinctive and award-winning vacation our brand has become recognized for throughout the world."

 

Following a series of preview sailings in Oslo, Norway and Southampton, Independence will embark on her maiden voyage on May 2. Through the summer of 2008, she will sail 14-night 'Mediterranean Treasures' and 'Italian Mediterranean' itineraries round-trip from Southampton. Ports of call include Gibraltar.; Barcelona, Malaga, Vigo and Seville, Spain; Nice and Cannes/Monte Carlo, France; Florence/Pisa and Sardinia, Italy; and Lisbon, Portugal.

Guests also can enjoy two, four-night getaways from Southampton to Cork, Ireland and St. Peter Port, Channel Islands. Three, 11-night Canary Islands itineraries, also roundtrip from Southampton, will close the fall season, calling on Madeira, Portugal; Tenerife, Las Palmas and Lanzarote, Canary Islands; and Vigo, Spain. Independence then heads to the United States to begin a series of warm weather Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale, Florida starting in November 2008.

At 160,000 GRT and a capacity of 3,634 guests, Independence of the Seas will feature all of the industry-first amenities which are trademarks of the Freedom-class ships: a FlowRider surf simulator; the H20 Zone water park with its interactive sculpture garden for families; cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 ft. above the ocean in the adults-only Solarium; a full-size boxing ring and a 14-person family suite. Unlike her sister-ships, all pools and the water park on Independence will be heated.

Independence also will feature some of the other distinctive offerings the global cruise line is known for including, an ice-skating rink; a rock-climbing wall; an award-winning children's program; fine to casual dining venues; Broadway-style entertainment and the Royal Promenade - an entertainment boulevard stretching the length of the ship with its shops, restaurants, bars and lounges, which provides guests with an endless variety of choices and experiences to suit their taste and preference.

PORT SPOTLIGHT

Antigua
©1998 Sealetter Cruise Magazine

Port City:

• St. John's, Antigua

• Approximately 40,000

• Daytime temperatures average 72 degrees in the winter and 85 degrees in the summer; regular trade winds keep the city cool

• English

• The Eastern Caribbean dollar; U.S. dollars are widely accepted 

Once a struggling island solely dependent on its sugar crop, Antigua has developed into a modern-day paradise. During your brief stay on this idyllic oasis of 108 square miles, you will fall in love with its glorious beaches, experience its serene British traditions and revel in its natural beauty and benevolent climate.

Sightseeing

St. John's

Begin your tour with one of the most prominent architectural masterpieces on the island, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, located between Newgate and Long streets. The original structure, built in 1681, has been destroyed and rebuilt more than once; currently, the interior is encased in pine pitch, intended to secure it against hurricanes or earthquakes. The figures of Saint John the Baptist and St. John the Divine at the south gate are said to have been taken from one of Napoleon's ships and brought to Antigua by a man-of-war.

The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, nearby at Long and Market streets, is housed in the historic British colonial courthouse, built in 1750. Displays range from the handmade tools and religious objects of the Amerindians who once inhabited Antigua to various items recovered from recent shipwrecks. Another fascinating museum is the Museum of Marine Art, on Gambles Terrace at the outskirts of town. It features an outstanding collection of seashells, corals and relics salvaged from old shipwrecks.

Around the Island

Located in the village of Parham directly east of St. John's, the Anglican St. Peter's Church was once described as "the finest church in the West Indies." The original construction, built in 1755, was gutted by fire; the current church was designed by Thomas Weekes in 1840. An earthquake severely damaged the structure in 1843, but it remains one of Antigua's most beautiful churches.

To the south of Pares Village, Betty's Hope, the first major sugar plantation on Antigua, was built by Sir Christopher Codrington in 1674 and named after his daughter. Codrington's success was responsible for establishing sugarcane as the island's primary cash crop by the end of the century. Two old windmill towers and ruins of the still house remain.

East of Betty's Hope is Indian Town, believed to be the site of the first Amerindian landings centuries ago; Atlantic breakers crashing over the cliffs for eons have carved out a natural rock formation known as Devil's Bridge.

The 1669 construction of Fort George, situated atop Monk's Hill, was one of the earliest attempts at fortifying the entrance to Falmouth Harbour on the island's south coast. Within its walls you can see ruins of the original buildings, plus the water cisterns and sites for the original 32 cannons. And at the ruins of nearby English Harbour's fortifications--Shirley Heights--you can view Nelson's Dockyard below.

Also overlooking Nelson's Dockyard, Clarence House was built for Prince William Henry when he served as commander of the H.M.S. Pegasus here in 1787. This classic example of Georgian architecture now serves as the country residence of Antigua's Governor and is open to the public when His Excellency is away.

A tribute to Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson, the restored Nelson's Dockyard, at English Harbour, functions today as a yacht chartering center and headquarters for the annual Sailing Week Regatta. The small museum, The Admiral's House, is a two-story wood structure featuring a display of memorabilia from the era of Nelson's tenure on the island. The Copper and Lumber store has been converted into a hotel, and The Officer's Quarters Building is now home to a gallery featuring the works of local artists.

South of St. John's, the Megaliths at Greencastle Hill, supposedly set in place by human hands for the worship of the sun god and the moon goddess, are more likely a natural geological formation.

One of the best ways to see many of these sights is by taking a Shore Excursion. Check with your Cruise Director for more information.

Beaches

On the eastern shore, locations such as Nonsuch Bay and Mercers Creek offer world-class beachcombing. The seashells that wash ashore are among the most beautiful you're likely to find on the island.

Pigeon Point, located in Falmouth Harbour on the southern shore, is a favored white-sand beach. But for real seclusion, it's the other beaches in the area that are a temptation. You'll find neither changing facilities nor food vendors, so prepare accordingly. The south shore offers the most colorful shoals and reefs for snorkelers and divers.

If you want a more festive atmosphere, head for Antigua's northernmost shore; the Dickenson Bay area is noted for popular beaches, resorts and party boats. Beginning divers and snorkelers might visit Fitches Creek, a particularly safe site with nearly waveless coves.

Sports

Divers can explore the many reefs and shoals that are teeming with fascinating and exotic marine life. Dozens of harbors and coves supply colorful and safe access for windsurfing and other water sports. For sailing, there is a tremendous selection of crafts from which to choose, ranging from private catamarans for two all the way to party boats for two hundred. And deep-sea fishing is ideal here; the available charters range from powerboats to sailing vessels.

The Cedar Valley Golf Club near St. John's has been touted as one of the best 18-hole championship courses in the Caribbean. This 6,100-yard, par 70 course is also the site of the Antigua Open, usually held each March. Visitors will also find numerous tennis courts throughout the island. Other land-sports options include horseback riding and bicycle rentals.

Shopping

Two main shopping districts are located side by side. The shops at Heritage Quay, a waterfront complex at the foot of St. Mary's Street, have the best selection of luxury items like china, crystal, watches, perfume, jewelry and linens--all at duty-free prices. Next door, Redcliffe Quay was a 19th-century slave compound; carefully restored and converted into a traditional marketplace, the Quay now serves as the heart of the art community. Its boutiques offer handcrafted gold jewelry and trendy clothing, and its studios are filled with local art.

In addition to these complexes, you'll find Caribbean perfumeries, Batik boutiques and other shops along High, Redcliffe and St. Mary's streets.

Dining