JMAK= : ( ( . / < Tuesday 09 October 2012
2012-13 summer season starts Friday! The first international ship arrives in Australia this week, launching Australia’s biggest record-breaking wave season. ROYAL Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas is due to dock at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal at 6am on Friday 12 October, marking the beginning of an exciting “wave season” in Australia. The six-month schedule includes many new ships – the largest, the newest and the most luxurious ever – calling Australia home. Royal Caribbean Cruises will carry more than 200,000 passengers on four vessels, including the two biggest cruise ships ever based in Australia –Voyager of the Seas and Celebrity Solstice – plus a brief visit by Celebrity Millennium. RCCL’s Australia and New Zealand Commercial Director, Adam Armstrong, said Voyager and Solstice would “revolutionise the cruising landscape as we introduce a size and calibre of superliners previously only experienced overseas”. Carnival Australia will have 19 ships carrying
Fred improves ticketing FRED Olsen Cruise Lines is improving its guest experience with a change to its e-tickets. The e-tickets, issued to guests, will now feature detailed information on check-in times and the departure terminal for each cruise, as well as information on the dress codes for individual voyages, how many ‘Formal Nights’ they can expect, and which specific ‘Themed Nights’ will be taking place, whether ‘International’, ‘Nautical’ or ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’.
325,000 passengers and making 310 calls to Australian ports. A record 14 of those ships will be based in Australian waters for all or some of the 201213 season, with a further five ships visiting as part of their world voyages. Highlights include the local debut of Carnival Spirit, maiden calls by Holland America’s Oosterdam and Seabourn Quest, and the return of Queen Mary 2 for its inaugural circumnavigation of New Zealand. Carnival Australia CEO Ann Sherry said passenger numbers were expected to increase by 5% on last year. “We’ll be visiting more Australian ports than ever before, with 27 different towns and cities set to welcome our ships over the coming months,” she said.
TODAY’S ISSUE OF CW Today’s issue of CW features four pages of the latest cruise news, plus a full page from Cruise Select detailing three of its European river cruise packages (p5). Plus see p6 for details of American Queen Steamboat Company’s Elvis & The Mississippi 20-day coach and river cruise.
Oceania adds Blue loyalty OCEANIA Cruises has added a new Blue Membership level for guests which will allow them to earn rewards as quickly as their first cruise. The cruise company has also beefed-up its loyalty program with added complimentary air deviation fee waivers, as well as substantial savings on internet, shore excursions, beverage packages and logo merchandise. Current benefits include on-board Oceania Club cocktail receptions and member-only offers.
Get your boogie on
Celebrity gets behind its own
GUESTS cruising onboard Crystal Serenity’s 31 March 2013 Big Band and Ballroom Dance voyage will have three times the opportunity to break out their dance moves, with Crystal Cruises committing to triple the number of its Ambassador Host dance partners, from the normal four aboard every sailing, to 12. The voyage will also feature double the usual amount of dance instructors as well as the renowned 17+piece Glenn Miller Orchestra. Spanning 10-days, the voyage will soft shoe shuffle out of Miami on 31 March, and will cruise to Lisbon. “Big Band and Ballroom Dance is hotter than ever now, and our music cruises are always among our most popular voyages, packed with fun,” said Bret Bullock, Crystal’s VP of entertainment.
FOUR Celebrity Cruises employees who have each been touched by breast cancer are set to become the Godmothers of Celebrity Reflection: Jovanka Goronjic, Megan Mathie, Helen O'Connell and Rosey Rodriguez. Both Goronjic and Mathie work onboard the cruise line’s ships, in the AquaSpa and Hot Glass Show respectively, with Goronjic having helped her mother through breast cancer and Mathie currently supporting her sister and mother through the illness. Meanwhile O'Connell manages Community Relations for Celebrity and came through breast cancer in 2009, whilst Rodriguez is manager of the company's Special Events team and on 08 June of this year, was diagnosed with stage-3 breast cancer. “The breast cancer cause is one we've adopted across the Celebrity brand, and one with deep meaning for each of these women and their four predecessors,” said Richard Fain, Chairman of Celebrity Cruises. “These ladies are not only inspiring in their professional lives, but in their personal lives, as well, with each of them devoted to their own and our company's interest in doing all we can to find a cure for breast cancer,” he added. Celebrity has been linked with the breast cancer cause since 2008 when it held an event onboard Celebrity Solstice to raise funds for breast cancer screenings for low-income women, and is now an official corporate partner of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).
Yangtze Wonders
15 Days from $4450 Shanghai
Xian
Yichang Beijing Cruise onVictoria Katarina Executive benefits on cruise Yangtze River Shanghai Guaranteed Balcony Cabin Chongqing Beijing No Hidden Extras Inclusions: Return Airfares - 4 To 5 Star Quality Accommodation - Most Meals - Sightseeing - Evening International Airfares Entertainment - English Speaking Guide - Travel Kit - Visa For Australian Passport Holders - Taxes
Call 1300 788 328 or visit helenwongstours.com Conditions: Prices are per person twin share ex. SYD, MEL, BNE, ADL, PER & includes taxes and fuel surcharges, valid for departures from Oct’12 – Jun’13, seasonal surcharge apply. Please check with Helen Wong’s Tours for exact departure dates. Prices & taxes are current at time of brochure printing 15 Sep ‘11. and are subject to availability and change without notice at time of booking. All other conditions as per Helen Wong’s Tours current brochure range. 3146 Lic.No.2TA4103
Website: www.cruiseweekly.com.au | Phone: 1300 799 220 | Fax: 1300 799 221 | Email: info@cruiseweekly.com.au
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