16 CRUISE NEWS
July/August 2019 Travel News
Ghouls and ghosts on the high seas!
I Cruise & Maritime’s new ship, Vasco da Gama (story below) Vasco da Gama makes debut
CRUISE and Maritime Voyages (CMV) have greeted the arrival of their latest cruise ship. Vasco da Gama joined the CMV fl eet in April and arrived at the London International Cruise Terminal in Tilbury at the beginning of June, following completion of her spectacular maiden voyage from Singapore. The premium vessel already enjoys an enviable reputation and has an established following on the international cruise market. The 1220 passenger Vasco da Gama will welcome on board the media, trade partners and key suppliers who have been invited to a special evening on board the ship along with more than 130 of CMV’s most loyal passengers.
After the Tilbury event, Vasco da Gama travelled to Amsterdam to show off her excellent on board facilities and then went on to Bremerhaven in Germany. Then the ship began a series of cruises with CMV’s sister company TransOcean in Germany sailing to the Norwegian Fjords on a nine-night cruise. Vasco da Gama combines beautiful, contemporary decor with a more traditional cruise style. It is small to mid-size by comparison with the recent modern mega ships and is a wonderful new addition to the CMV fl eet. The 55,820 grt Vasco da Gama underwent a
multi-million-dollar refurbishment in
2015.The onboard facilities are impressive and include a two-tiered ‘Hollywood’ show lounge, The Dome with its panoramic seascapes and the very stylish Blue Room. There is a choice of fi ve lounge bars and four entertainment venues each with its own individual style. Vasco da Gama off ers a choice of three main Waterfront Restaurants – Waterfront Restaurant, Waterfront Mediterranean and Waterfront Eurasia where, unlike CMV’s other ships, dining will be fl exible and not fi xed to specifi c sittings. In addition, there are two speciality restaurants – The Grill and Chef’s Table (supplements apply) and the buff et style Club Bistro. There is a wide choice of comfortable accommodation including 120 balcony cabins and 29 spacious suites. The impressive three-decked atrium is the focal point of the ship off ering a delightful shopping galleria, cinema, casino, bridge and card room, arts and crafts area, coff ee shop and library. Vasco da Gama off ers extensive deck areas and promenades with timber style decking. There are two swimming pools with the main pool benefi tting from a retractable roof, wellness centre with beautiful spa amenities, hair and beauty facilities and a well-equipped gym.
N AUTUMN, Disney Cruise Line will enchant guests of all ages with Hallowe’en and Winter holiday celebrations on sailings departing from New York, California, Texas and Florida. The 2020 Autumn season off ers a range of itineraries that will visit a variety of tropical locales, with most sailings featuring that extra-special Disney holiday sparkle.
Hallowe’en on the High Seas returns to Disney Cruise Line in September and October 2020 with spooky good times for the entire family. On select sailings across the fl eet, guests are treated to a “mouse- querade” costume party, lively entertainment, ghoulish food and beverage delights, trick-or-treating, seasonal kids’ activities, a villainous party just for adults and a ghostly ship takeover with elaborate décor and a magical pumpkin tree.
From early November through December, the Disney Cruise Line fl eet is decked from bow-to-stern with holiday cheer and entertainment during Very Merrytime Cruises. Holiday adventures are unwrapped for the whole family with merry parties, a tree lighting ceremony, festive activities, special food and beverage surprises, favourite characters in their fi nest holiday attire, a Winter wonderland ball with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a fl urry of “Frozen” snowfall. Bookings opened to the public onJune 13. More details on 2020 itineraries can be found on the Disney Cruise Line website.
Tropical Island Vacations from Florida
In Autumn 2020, the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream will sail to the Bahamas and Caribbean from Port Canaveral, Florida. Hallowe’en on the High Seas and Very Merrytime Cruises will delight guests on most sailings.
The Disney Fantasy will sail three, four, fi ve, six, seven and eight-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. The Disney Dream will sail three and four- night Bahamian cruises to Nassau, Bahamas and Castaway Cay. Each of these cruises includes a day of fun in the sun on Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests.
Bahamas and Caribbean Cruises from Texas
From late November through December, the Disney Wonder will make Galveston, Texas, its homeport for Very Merrytime Cruises to the Caribbean and Bahamas, with four, fi ve, six and seven-night sailings.
Caribbean itineraries include stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico and Grand Cayman. Bahamian cruises feature stops at Nassau, Bahamas and Key West, Florida, as well as Disney’s private island Castaway Cay.
Bermuda and Canada ex-New York
The Disney Magic returns to New York in October for sailings to Bermuda and Canada, all featuring Halloween on the High Seas. Three fi ve-night cruises off er two days in Bermuda, giving guests extra time to indulge in the island’s famous pink-sand beaches, abundant water activities, stylish shopping and distinctive blend of British and Caribbean culture. One fi ve-night cruise will visit Canada’s charming seaport cities including Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada’s oldest incorporated city, which is home to outdoor activities and an impressive natural phenomenon called the “reversing falls rapids.” Guests on this sailing will also visit Halifax, the provincial capital of Nova Scotia.
Rich in maritime history, Nova Scotia boasts Victorian-style public gardens and one of the world’s largest natural harbours.
Baja/Mexican Riviera ex-California
The Disney Wonder sets sail from San Diego in September, with Halloween on the High Seas cruises to Baja and the Mexican Riviera. Baja itineraries of two, three, four and fi ve nights highlight the region’s famous beaches and water activities with calls on Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico. One seven- night Mexican Riviera cruise, with additional stops in Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, completes the southern California sailings. On November 6, the Disney Wonder departs San Diego for a 14-night Panama Canal crossing.
Disney Cruise Line released details of sailings from New York, California, Texas and Florida Local operator’s Epic packages
TRAVEL Solutions, Northern Ireland’s leading tour operator, recently launched their 2020 NCL Epic holiday packages.
Peter McMinn, Travel Solutions Managing Director, used the opening day of Northern Ireland Travel News’ Big Travel Trade Event at The Hilton, Templepatrick to launch the programme. He said: “This is our third year of off ering fl ight inclusive holidays sailing around the Western Med onboard the NCL Epic. And new for 2020, our customers will be able to take advantage of NCL’s new ‘Free at Sea’ – where customers can choose two of four
CARNIVAL Cruise Line has unveiled several exciting new food and beverage concepts aboard its highly anticipated new ship Mardi Gras, set to debut in 2020, along with further details on the off erings within the ship’s Lido and Summer Landing zones. The new, only-on-Mardi Gras dining and bar spots in the two themed zones include Street Eats, RedFrog Tiki Bar and The Watering Hole, among many other popular branded outlets, as well as a Big Chicken
great off ers to enhance their holiday”. “As always, Travel Solutions work hard to off er a great value holiday and we are pleased that for 2020 we have been able to include the two off ers at no extra charge.
“Add return transfers between the airport and the ship plus gratuities while onboard and it’s easy to see why these holidays sell fast”.
Travel Solutions’ NCL Epic holiday will operate every Sunday between May 10 and September 27 with direct fl ights from Belfast. Lead-in price is £,299 and is bookable now through your local travel agent.
New food offerings on Mardi Gras
restaurant by Carnival’s Chief Fun Offi cer Shaquille O’Neal.
“Great food and beverage experiences are at the core of any holiday, especially at Carnival. We always strive to provide our guests with the most diverse options possible, but the sheer variety of food and beverage venues on board Mardi Gras is unlike anything we’ve ever off ered before,” said Christine Duff y, President of Carnival Cruise Line.
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