Norwegian Cruise Line To Introduce Moderno Churrascaria Fleet-Wide

Norwegian Cruise Line is enhancing dining options for guests by introducing its signature Brazilian-style steakhouse on board additional ships in its fleet. Moderno Churrascaria first debuted on board the line’s newest ship, Norwegian Epic, and was the first dining concept of its kind at sea. Because of positive guest feedback and popular demand, Norwegian is now offering this unique dining experience on eight Freestyle Cruising ships. The company is also introducing the ability for guests to pre-book dining reservations for specialty restaurants fleet-wide.

Moderno Churrascaria offers guests a whole new experience in dining at sea. This Brazilian “Churrascaria” or steakhouse, boasts a delicious salad bar filled with appetizers, gourmet vegetables, soups, salads and more. The experience is not only delicious, it is also interactive. As guests dine on a feast of salad bar selections, they are greeted by passadors who serve generous amounts of various beef, lamb, pork, chicken and Brazilian sausage tableside. For a cover charge of $20 per person, guests can enjoy a salad bar, filled with an array of gourmet options, as well as an unlimited amount of the mouth-watering meats.

Moderno Churrascaria is currently available on board Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Pearl. Norwegian Gem will be outfitted with this unique restaurant in late February, followed by Norwegian Jewel in March and Norwegian Star in April of 2012.

Carnival to Increase Capacity in San Juan, Moving Ships, Destiny to Europe

Carnival Cruise Lines will increase capacity on its seven-day Southern Caribbean itineraries from San Juan, as well as on its four- and five-day cruises from Miami, deploying newer, larger ships in both markets.

The 2,974-passenger Carnival Valor will launch a five-port, seven-day schedule from San Juan beginning Feb. 10, 2013, becoming the newest and largest ship to operate year-round from that port.

Carnival Valor will replace the 2,758-passenger Carnival Victory, which will reposition from San Juan to Miami to assume the Carnival Destiny’s four- and five-day cruises beginning Feb. 4, 2013. Carnival Victory will be the newest and largest ship to operate year-round four- and five-day voyages from South Florida.

Additionally, Carnival Destiny will offer a 16-day transatlantic crossing departing Miami Feb. 4 and arriving Civitavecchia (Rome) on Feb. 20, 2013. Featured ports on the crossing include Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal; Malaga, Spain; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Genoa and Livorno, Italy. Details on the Carnival Destiny’s deployment following the trans-Atlantic crossing will be announced at a later date.

Port-Intensive Week-Long Cruises from San Juan

Beginning Feb. 10, 2013, Carnival Valor will launch seven-day Southern Caribbean sailings from San Juan becoming the port’s newest and largest year-round ship. The itinerary features extended calls at five tropical islands – St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; Bridgetown, Barbados; St. Lucia, West Indies; St. Kitts, West Indies; and St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles. In addition to featuring some of the Caribbean’s most beautiful beaches, these seaside destinations are known for their world-class snorkeling and scuba diving, as well as water sports opportunities.

Four- and Five-Day Voyages from Miami

Carnival Victory will become the newest and largest ship to offer year-round four- and five-day cruises from Miami when it launches service on Feb. 4, 2013. Carnival Victory’s Miami-based schedule features three distinctly different itineraries, providing consumers with a variety of convenient and affordable cruise options departing from one of America’s top tourist destinations.

Four-day “long weekend” cruises departing Thursdays call at Key West, Fla., and Cozumel,
Mexico; five-day cruises departing Mondays include stops at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands; the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay; and Nassau, The Bahamas. Five-day voyages departing Saturdays feature George Town, Grand Cayman; and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Each of these destinations offers a truly unique vacation experience, with miles of gorgeous white-sand beaches and an interesting array of shore excursion choices such as zip-lining, horseback riding, kayaking, and more.

Special Voyages from Miami and San Juan

Carnival Victory will also offer a one-of-a-kind eight-day cruise from San Juan to Miami departing Jan. 27, 2013, with stops at St. Thomas, Aruba, Curacao and Nassau, while Carnival Valor will feature a one-time seven-day cruise from Miami to San Juan departing on Feb. 3, 2013, visiting Grand Turk, Antigua, St. Kitts and St. Thomas.

Royal Caribbean Wrapping NYC Subway Cars

Royal Caribbean International’s new brand campaign is targeting New York-area commuters, both above and below ground, by taking over the 42nd Street S line in Manhattan this February. As commuters are transported between Times Square and Grand Central Station, the award-winning cruise line is giving them a taste of the Royal experience with fully-branded shuttle cars supporting the cruise line’s new messaging. First rolled out in December 2011, the campaign is focused on reawakening consumers to the sights and sounds of the sea by communicating the decree, “The Sea is Calling. Answer it Royally.”

The subway cars, which are wrapped both inside and out, reflect actual Royal Caribbean cruise ships. The cars’ interiors are each separately wrapped as an onboard theater featuring marquees of some of the Broadway shows guests can see onboard select Royal Caribbean ships such as Hairspray, Chicago and Saturday Night Fever; an onboard spa with bamboo showers and masseuse; as well as an open deck area complete with a Flowrider surf simulator and surfer. Each car conveys the options for entertainment, relaxation and adventure that can be enjoyed on a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation. Commuters, who will be treated to special surprises during the month, are encouraged to take photographs and videos to share with friends through their social media channels, tagging Royal Caribbean by using the specified hashtag #RoyalShuttle. Royal Caribbean also challenges fans to find “hidden treasures” in the shuttle artwork, including characters such as Shrek and Po from the cruise line’s exclusive partnership with film studio powerhouse DreamWorks Animation.

For New York-area residents inspired to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, Royal Caribbean offers convenient cruising options to Bermuda and the Caribbean out of Bayonne, N.J., and Baltimore, Md., onboard Explorer of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas. Royal Caribbean’s innovative onboard amenities, upscale accommodations, dining and entertainment are all delivered with the cruise line’s signature Gold Anchor Service, all within a few-hours drive from home.

Sapphire Princess Begins Service After Extensive Makeover

The Sapphire Princess is back in service after an extensive three-week makeover to add a host of signature Princess Cruises’ signature features to the ship.

Currently sailing on a cruise to Hawaii, Sapphire Princess passengers can now enjoy a brand-new Piazza atrium with the International Café and Vines wine bar, plus the new Alfredo’s Pizzeria. On the top deck, the cruise ship now features a giant Movies Under the Stars screen, and passengers can also relax in the ship’s “pocket of tranquility,” the adults-only Sanctuary.

“Making these changes to Sapphire Princess was an important step to ensure that our signature shipboard features can be found wherever our passengers want to sail,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president.

An album of photos of the renovation process is now available on Princess’ Flickr page.

The many changes to Sapphire Princess include:

New Piazza Atrium – The ship’s atrium space has been redesigned to include this signature Princess feature – a European-inspired social hub of the ship combining always-changing quick bites and light meals, beverages, entertainment, shopping and guest services. The Piazza features the International Café for pastries, fresh panini sandwiches, salads, fresh-baked cookies and a variety of coffee drinks. Passengers can also enjoy a new Vines wine bar offering a selection of more than 30 wines by the glass, plus a selection of tapas and sushi, and a wine shop where they can purchase their favorite bottle.

Alfredo’s Pizzeria – Introduced last year aboard Grand Princess, Alfredo’s has now expanded to its second location on Sapphire Princess. The sit-down pizzeria serves up an enticing menu of freshly prepared, hand-stretched, individual-size pizzas. Named for the line’s master executive chef, Alfredo Marzi, the pizzeria features an open kitchen where passengers can watch chefs create their custom-made pies.

Movies Under the Stars – Sapphire Princess has become the final ship in the current Princess fleet to introduce Movies Under the Stars on board. The giant poolside movie screen now showcases feature films, concerts, awards shows and sports events, and passengers can enjoy their viewing on padded loungers under warm, fleece blankets. Complimentary popcorn and other treats enhance the al fresco entertainment experience.

The Sanctuary – Sapphire Princess was also the final ship to receive The Sanctuary, a tranquil retreat exclusively for adults. Added prior to drydock, the new Sanctuary space has already received an enthusiastic welcome from passengers enjoying the enhanced comforts of this peaceful oasis, as Serenity Stewards attend to their every need, offering refreshing beverages, light snacks, pre-loaded MP3 players, and the cooling mist of an Evian atomizer.

Also part of the ship’s renovation were several relocated and upgraded venues, including the Art Gallery, Internet Café and Library, and the Photo-Video Gallery. New carpet, upholstery and tile work was added throughout the ship, and staterooms now feature new flat-screen televisions.