The Canada And New England 2016 Cruise Season Begins

 
Photo courtesy of Port of Halifax



 The Canada and New England cruise season for 2016 began over the weekend as Holland America Line’s Veendam arrived in Halifax on April 30 according to Seatrade Cruise News. This year, the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association (ACCA) expects around 611,000 guests, up from 550,651 in 2015.
Nora Fever, chair of ACCA is quoted as saying, “The cruise sector in Atlantic Canada continues to be strong. We are delighted to be welcoming so many passengers during a season that stretches from late April to early November.”

READ MORE: Travel Agents Reveal Current Cruise Trends

The Veendam continued on to Sydney on May 1 and was in Charlottetown yesterday, May 2. Other ships on the schedule this year include the return of the Disney Cruise Line with the Disney Magic and inaugural calls from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway and Royal Caribbean International’s Anthem of the Seas. Plus, Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Star will head to the region for the first time later in September.
Also, additional ports will see traffic this year with Summerside, PEI, for instance, receiving cruise calls for its first time. Overall, ACCA anticipates that cruise visitors will account for $41 million in direct spending and the local industry, including cruise line spending, as a whole will amount to $81.6 million in 2016.

READ MORE: Alaska Cruise Season Kicks Off from Vancouver and Seattle

Since it's not a year-round destination like Alaska, Canada/New England is a relatively niche region that certainly benefits seasonally as new ships come online and get bigger with greater visitor capacities. In fact, the aforementioned Anthem of the Seas can accommodate over 4,180 passengers, while the Explorer of the Seas – the largest ship ever to visit Alaska, (going for the first time this year) – has a somewhat smaller guest complement of 4,029.


By  Jason Leppert |, www.travelpulse.com

Travelore Cruise News: Holland America Line Reveals Two New Offers Including Complimentary Shore Excursions And 'View And Verandah' Onboard Spending Credit

Guests can receive two free shore excursions in select ports and up to $500 to spend on board

 Holland America Line is launching two new promotions

 that sweeten the deal for travelers who book select 2016 and 2017 cruises by Feb. 29, 2016. Just

 added to the line's robust perks in its "View and Verandah" promotion is an onboard spending credit

 applicable to more than 400 cruises. Also new is the opportunity for guests to receive two free shore

 excursions on cruises calling at select ports in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America.

"This is the time of year when travelers are planning their next vacation, and we wanted to add

 some additional incentives to put a Holland America Line dream cruise at the top of their list," said

 Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line's president. "And expanding View and Verandah with an

 onboard spending credit makes the promotion even more incredible, so we encourage everyone to

 book before the February 29 deadline."

Guests who cruise on ms Noordam or ms Maasdam in Australia and New Zealand on select

 departures between September 2016 and March 2017 can select two free shore excursions

 from Holland America Line's extensive offerings when the itinerary visits Melbourne, Australia; 

or Auckland, Picton or Wellington, New Zealand.

In Asia, guests who cruise on select voyages from October 2016 through April 2017 aboard

 ms Volendam receive two free tours when calling at Kagoshima, Japan; Halong Bay, Vietnam;

 Jeju City, South Korea; or Nathon, Ko Samui, Thailand.

On select South America cruises from October 2016 through March 2017 aboard ms Zaandam,

 guests receive two complimentary tours when calling at Puerto Montt, Chile, and Montevideo, Uruguay.

'View and Verandah' Promotion Adds Onboard Spending CreditHolland America Line also is now including an onboard spending credit to the popular "View and

 Verandah" promotion on select sailings. Guests who book select voyages by Feb. 29 receive an

 onboard spending credit of up to $500 per stateroom, in addition to stateroom upgrades, shore

 excursion discounts and Collectors' Voyages savings.

On select cruises, guests will receive up to $300 per stateroom on cruises that are seven to nine

 days, up to $400 on 10- to 14-day cruises, and up to $500 on cruises 15 days or longer.

In addition to the onboard credit, depending on departure and ship, guests who book an inside 

stateroom will be upgraded to an outside stateroom, and those booking an ocean-view stateroom

 will upgrade to a verandah — a value of up to $1,000 per stateroom.  Deposits also have been

 lowered to as little as $100 to reserve a stateroom on cruises up to 21 days.

Select Collectors' Voyages also are eligible for up to 25 percent off — a savings of as much as $3,198

 per stateroom — under the View and Verandah promotion. Collectors' Voyages combine back-to-back

 cruises to form a nonrepeating longer itinerary that provides a more in-depth exploration of a region.

Guests who reserve select shore excursions prior to cruising can take advantage of up to 10 percent

 savings if booked by March 15, 2016. This date is extended beyond the View and Verandah

 deadline. More than 1,500 tours will feature the savings.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel professional, call

 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visithollandamerica.com.

Follow and share with Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, 

YouTube and the Holland America Blog.

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE:  CCL and CUK)] Holland America Line's fleet of 13 ships offers more than 500 cruises to more than 400 ports

 in 98 countries, territories or dependencies around the world. From shorter getaways to

 115-day itineraries, the company's cruises visit all seven continents with highlights including 

Antarctica explorations, South America circumnavigations and exotic Australia/New Zealand

 and Asia voyages; four annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to the Caribbean, Alaska,

 Mexico, Canada/New England, Bermuda, Europe and the Panama Canal. The line currently has

 a new 2,650-guest ship, ms Koningsdam, on order for deli

very in April 2016, as well as a second 

Pinnacle Class ship due for delivery in November 2018.

The company recently announced $300 million in brand enhancements to secure its position

 at the leader in premium cruising. Fleetwide, the ships feature innovative initiatives and a diverse

 range of enriching experiences focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests

 can expand their knowledge on board at the Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine

 magazine; Explorations Café, powered by The New York Times; and Digital Workshop powered

 by Windows. Outstanding entertainment fills each evening at venues including Lincoln Center

 Stage, Billboard Onboard and B.B. King's Blues Club. The dining experience can be savored

 at a variety of restaurants with menus that feature selections from Holland America Line's

 esteemed Culinary Council that comprises world-famous chefs who design dishes

 exclusively for our guests.

Lincoln Center Stage, New Onboard Classical Music Venue, Debuts On Holland America Line’s MS Eurodam

 

Chamber music ensemble to perform daily during week-long Caribbean cruise

Lincoln Center Stage, a new onboard classical music venue created in an exclusive partnership between Holland America Line with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, made its debut on Sunday, January 24 when the ms Eurodam left Fort Lauderdale for a seven-day cruise of the Eastern Caribbean.  The new venue is an intimate recital space which takes its design cues from Lincoln Center’s venues.  A Steinway & Sons piano sits on the wood paneled stage.   The pattern of the room’s windows evokes those of some of Lincoln Center’s iconic buildings.

Lincoln Center Stage will showcase a chamber music ensemble, comprised of five musicians who are recent graduates of renowned music schools and conservancies, performing multiple programs nightly.  On those occasions when guests are enjoying a leisurely day at sea, the ensemble also will play afternoon recitals. The wide-ranging programs feature works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, and Brahms as well as by American, Eastern European, French, and Latin American composers, and arrangements of songs by such groups as The Beatles and Radiohead.

This April, a new Lincoln Center Stage will launch on two other Holland America ships. Holland America Line’s new Pinnacle Class ship, ms Koningsdam, sails on its inaugural voyage on April 8, 2016.  The venue will also be featured on ms Oosterdam when she sails in April.   Additional Lincoln Center Stage openings on more Holland America ships will be announced at a later date.

32 Cruise Ships Receive Perfect Health Inspection Scores In 2015

- Holland America Line's cruise ship Eurodam received a perfect health score of 100 from the Centers for Disease Control for the ninth consecutive inspection, topping the list of 32 vessels that earned top ratings in 2015.

The CDC inspections are unannounced and occur twice a year on all ships that sail in or out of a U.S. port. Ships must earn a score of 86 or higher to pass.

Holland America and Carnival received the most perfect scores, with six ships on both lines getting 100. On Holland America, the other ships included Veendam, Noordam, Statendam, Ryndam (no longer with the fleet) and Nieuw Amsterdam.

Carnival's perfect scores included 100s for Carnival Fascination, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Pride and Carnival Miracle.

Other vessels with perfect scores in 2015 included Disney Fantasy, Norwegian Getaway, Brilliance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Celebrity Millennium, Enchantment of the Seas, Golden Princess, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Summit, Disney Dream, Radiance of the Seas, Norwegian Breakaway, Seven Seas Navigator, Ruby Princess, Celebrity Equinox, Regal Princess, SeaDream I, Island Princess and Norwegian Sky.

Conversely, three cruise ships failed the inspection in 2015, including Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas, Celebration Cruise Line's Grand Celebration and Silversea's Silver Shadow.

When a ship receives a low grade, it is typically re-inspected within 30 to 45 days, if the ship is still sailing in U.S. waters. Unless the violations pose an imminent health risk, the ship is permitted to continue sailing.

Silver Shadow remedied its poor score from April 2015 with flying colors in July, receiving a 99. Grand Celebration also bumped up its initial score of 80 from June 2015 with a 98 in September.

Adventure of the Seas failed its inspection in October 2015, with a score of 84. It has not been retested yet.

--By Chris Gray Faust, Senior Editor http://www.cruisecritic.com/

2016 Caribbean Cruises To Check Out

Photo courtesy of Pearl Sea Cruises

The Caribbean is one of the most popular regions to take a cruise, particularly for North American travelers. While many Caribbean cruises follow similar routes, others venture off to lesser-visited ports. These nine cruises offer a different Caribbean cruise experience, with exciting new ships, convenient departures or other highlights that set them apart from the crowd.

Royal Caribbean

The sprawling Oasis of the Seas will begin offering voyages from Port Canaveral beginning in November 2016. There will be five, seven and eight-night cruises alternating between Eastern and Western itineraries. The seven-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary visits Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. With Port Canaveral’s convenient positioning just an hour from Disney World, families can easily combine a trip to Orlando with a cruise on an incredible vessel.

Sea Cloud Cruises

Those who prefer a smaller, traditional ship should consider Sea Cloud Cruises, a company that maintains an intimate cruising experience aboard timeless sailing ships. Starting March 24, 2016, the Sea Cloud II embarks on a lesser-traveled Caribbean route from Bridgetown, Barbados to Man-O-War Bay, Tobago; St. George’s, Grenada; Soufriere, St. Lucia; and three ports of call in St. Vincent and the Grenadines including Union Island, often referred to as "the Tahiti of the West Indies."

Celebrity Summit

In late winter 2016, Celebrity Summit will be sailing a Southern Caribbean itinerary round-trip from San Juan. Fresh off a makeover, the ship will feature the new rooftop terrace for dining and movies on an outdoor screen, as well as the Tuscan Grille, a signature restaurant on other vessels. The cruise includes St. Croix, Martinique, Dominica, St. Kitts and St. Thomas.

Ponant

What better way to explore the French West Indies than on a luxurious French vessel? In Guadeloupe, while mainstream ships call on the city of Pointe-a-Pitre, the Le Ponant visits quiet Deshaies and Les Saintes. On the January 9 departure from Fort de France, (Martinique), the ship also calls in Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua, a historical area away from the major port, as well as Sandy Island, Anguilla, a tiny slice of paradise surrounded by sugary white sand. During the seven-night voyage, Le Ponant overnights in St. Barts and also visits Pigeon Island Beach, St. Lucia for postcard-perfect scenery.

Holland America

Holland America’s 10-day Southern Caribbean cruise on the brand new, MS Koningsdam in November 2016 heads to the ABC Islands, as well as the new port of Amber Cove, Dominican Republic. This cruise also calls in Grand Turk and a private island in the Bahamas, and spends three full days at sea — allowing time to experience the musically-inspired ship. The “Music Walk” features three stages, and a partnership with the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts introduces classically trained artists.

Pearl Sea

During the cooler months, Pearl Sea, a small-ship company, will go to its newest destination: Cuba. The 10-night voyage embarks from (and returns to) Miami, before spending an overnight in the sizzling city of Havana. The Cuban cultural cruise visits several UNESCO World Heritage sites and gives American and international passengers a chance to meet local tradespeople, artists, musicians and historians. Other stops include Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Santiago de Cuba, and Holguin as well as two ecological areas: Alejandro de Humboldt National Park and Maria la Gorda. Cruises are available beginning in March 2016.

Star Clippers

Another tall ship company, Star Clippers, is offering a rare, two-week, Southern Caribbean itinerary that hugs the coast of South America. The Royal Clipper embarks from Bridgetown, Barbados on December 3, 2016, and visits four islands off coastal Venezuela with a sublime setting: Isla Margarita, Testigo Grande, Isla de Coche and La Blanquilla. The ship spends a day in each of the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao), before calling on the Grenadines, Grenada, and St. Lucia. 

Fathom

The new impact travel cruise, Fathom (part of Carnival Corporation) has a weeklong program that includes three full days in the port of Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, to help with sustainable tourism efforts. During this time, passengers will participate in activities to benefit economic development, local education and environmental issues. Travelers may work with women’s cooperatives to improve their standard of living, work with community members to help improve their English skills or organizations to deliver potable water to families. The first Fathom cruise aboard the Adonia begins April 10.

Sail Windjammer

The interest in barefoot cruises on smaller windjammers has been reignited in the Caribbean and Sail Windjammers has a 13-night cruise from Grenada to St. Lucia with a wealth of islands packed into the itinerary. This free-spirited sailing cruise includes places like Mayreau, the smallest inhabited island in the Grenadines, or Tobago Cays, home to a stunning marine park. Cabins are traditional, no frills (but comfortable) and the galley serves up fresh, local cuisines. Sailing dates are available in April 2016.

By AMBER NOLAN,www.travelpulse.com , 

Holland America Line's MS Koningsdam To Showcase The World Stage Concept

 On Holland America Line's new MS Koningsdam, entertainment meets innovation with a new main theater design that surrounds the audience with a 270-degree LED screen. Breaking from the line's traditionally styled theaters, The World Stage is a flexible space that can have multiple stage configurations, ranging from in-the-round to the more conventional proscenium staging. The theater will initially host five new productions performed in repertory by a cast sourced from around the world.

At two stories high and 250 feet long, the high-definition LED screens will make The World Stage a trend-setting theater at sea capable of showcasing an exciting array of performances and productions. Enhanced by state-of-the-art lighting, projection and sound systems, the screens enable the environment of The World Stage to change throughout the day to present anything the designers can imagine. For example, the room can evolve effortlessly from an Italian palazzo for a concert performance to an imaginary world for innovative production numbers.

"The World Stage on Koningsdam will enable us to debut new entertainment concepts to delight our guests with shows they've never seen before," said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. "Having the flexibility to configure the room into many different and vibrant settings enables us to set new heights for cruise entertainment in this extraordinary theater at sea."

About ms Koningsdam

Currently under construction at Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard in Italy, Koningsdam represents a new Pinnacle Class of ship for Holland America Line. When it sets sail on its Premier Voyage April 8, 2016, the vessel will debut several innovative concepts and new public venues while still featuring popular amenities guests associate with Holland America Line.

Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy fine dining in several alternative restaurants including Sel de Mer, a new French seafood brasserie; a new immersive farm-to-table dinner experience in the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine; a re-designed casual Lido Market with themed serving stations; a stunning main dining room; and favorites such as Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto Italian restaurant and pan-Asian Tamarind. The ship also will feature Holland America Line's first purpose-built staterooms for families as well as single staterooms among its 1,331 guest accommodations.

Entertainment is taken to a new level with the energetic Music Walk area featuring all genres of music showcased in venues including Lincoln Center Stage performing chamber music nightly; Billboard Onboard where live musicians rock the crowd with chart-topping hits; and the popular B.B. King's Blues Club in the Queen's Lounge bringing the best of Memphis music to sea. World Stage brings 270-degree LED projection to the main showroom, enabling new concepts for showtime performances and immersing the audience in a panorama of sight and sound.

To bring a fresh vision to Koningsdam, Holland America Line tapped Adam D. Tihany, one of the world's pre-eminent hospitality designers. Tihany joins distinguished maritime designer and architect Bjorn Storbraaten, who worked with the cruise line on Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam. The two firms will create an interior that blends a fresh, contemporary styling in perfect harmony with the line's renowned classic elegance.

Holland America Line's MS Eurodam Achieves Perfect Score On US Public Health Inspection, The First Ship In Line's History To Achieve Eight Consecutive Perfect Scores.

On a recent surprise United States Public Health inspection conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ms Eurodam became the first ship in Holland America Line's history to achieve eight consecutive perfect scores of 100. The ship was inspected Feb. 1, 2015, at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at the start of a seven-day Caribbean cruise.

Prior to this inspection, Eurodam received a score of 100 in October 2014 during a call at Boston, Mass., on a Canada/New England cruise. In the past year, ms Noordam, ms Zuiderdam, ms Statendam and ms Westerdam also earned perfect scores of 100.

"Achieving eight consecutive perfect scores during U.S.P.H inspections is an amazing accomplishment, and it shows how diligently everyone works to continuously exceed our goals," said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. "Congratulations to the Eurodam team for consistently demonstrating how a commitment to excellence and hard work delivers results."

CDC inspections are part of the Vessel Sanitation Program, which was introduced in the early 1970s and is required for all passenger ships that call at a U.S. port. The inspections are unannounced and are carried out by officials from the United States Public Health Service twice a year for every cruise ship. The score, on a scale from one to 100, is assigned on the basis of a checklist involving dozens of areas of assessment, encompassing hygiene and sanitation of food (from storage to preparation), overall galley cleanliness, water, shipboard personnel and the ship as a whole. The ships received perfect scores in all of those areas.

Travelore News: Koningsdam Joins Holland America Line

Holland America Line’s MS Koningsdam is due for delivery in February 2016. Now open for reservations, the first sailings of the line’s new flagship will be one seven-day cruise followed by a six cruise series of 12-day itineraries throughout the Mediterranean.

At the heart of the ship, Koningsdam’s central atrium is pure visual drama and soars three decks high.

The atrium is capped by a ceiling that serves as a backdrop for subtly changing high-definition projections. Look up by day to see wispy cirrus clouds floating overhead or perhaps soothing colors of water and light. By evening, the atrium takes on dramatic lighting hues or reflects the clear constellations of the night sky.

The main dining will span two floors and be framed by views of the sea. A bright interior will be inspired by a modern, global design and sets the stage for the exceptional culinary experience to come. Speaking of culinary experiences, the CULINARY ARTS CENTER PRESENTED BY FOOD & WINE® MAGAZINE, a groundbreaking concept blends guests' love for food and entertaining into a unique, interactive experience. Explore regional fresh ideas in food and entertaining while you sail. Discover your inner sous chef or how to choose the perfect wine. Raise a glass to new talents.

At the heart of the Culinary Arts Center is an innovative show kitchen outfitted with multiple plasma video screens to capture fine details close up.

Now spanning two floors, the Queen’s Lounge will host the popular B.B. King’s Blues Club, showcasing the sounds of Memphis performed by an eight-piece brand. By day, the beautiful room hosts presentations, speakers, and other activities, and can also accommodate special entertainment events.

With a sophisticated color palette and the freedom to design from the ground up based on guest feedback, ms Koningsdam’s staterooms and suites feature a host of modern functional details such as bedside USB ports, along with custom casework and frameless glass shower doors that feel luxurious and upscale.

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