Cruise News – May 23, 2014

Cruise News – May 23, 2014

 

‘NEXT’ for Norwegian: $250 Million Upgrades

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that it will spend $250 million through 2015 for its “Norwegian NEXT” fleetwide enhancement program – including adding Breakaway-class dining and entertainment features on all its ships.

 

Fans of O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill, the casual spot inspired by Norwegian’s President and CEO Kevin Sheehan, will be happy to know the drinks and complimentary pub grub will soon be available across the line’s fleet. The ships are also getting a Sugarcane Mojito Bar and H2Glow theme party; updated menus at complimentary dining spots; fancier bar drinks; new production and game shows; and on the ships with Nickelodeon kids’ entertainment, additional activities – plus new opportunities to get “slimed” on the line’s private Bahamian island, Great Stirrup Cay. Norwegian is also making a number of high-tech enhancements to make it easier to book dining and other reservations both on board and online before your cruise, plus adding bow-to-stern WiFi fleetwide.

 

 

MSC Orders Two ‘Revolutionary’ Ships

The ships, currently known as project “Seaside,” won’t even look like cruise ships that are cruising today, according to MSC officials.

 

“Seaside is a futuristic prototype because of its structure, shape, and versatility,” MSC’s Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said in a prepared statement. “It will be a real revolution in the world’s cruise market, an excellent product for its unique and innovative architectural features and cutting-edge technology.”

 

New features on the 154,000-ton ships, which will cost nearly $1 billion each, will include a sea-level promenade with outdoor “spaces, shops, and restaurants.” The ships are set to debut in November 2017 and May 2018, respectively.

 

New Single Cabins on Queen Elizabeth

Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth, currently undergoing a multimillion dry dock in Hamburg, Germany, will soon debut new accommodations for solo travelers.

The addition of nine new staterooms for singles was based on customer demand, Cunard officials said. The cabins are located on Deck 2 and were created by remodeling part of the ship’s casino. Eight of the staterooms will be a new category of Oceanview, while one is an Inside.

 

Among other enhancements, all cabins are getting large flat-screen TVs.

 

 

AND…

• Get out your Hawaiian shirts because Disney Cruise Line will return to Hawaii next September, for two, 10-day cruises around the islands.
• Fans of the classic Holland America Line ships Ryndam and Statendam will want to book passage before the ships leave the fleet next November to transfer Down Under to sister line P&O Cruises Australia.
• Carnival Corp. will spend up to $400 million on clean-air “scrubber” technology on 70 ships across its brands.
• Prepare to be dazzled by the debut of Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess, with features including a top-deck glass walkway so you can look down at the sea way, way below.