Carnival’s Cuba ship getting upgrade

Posted on 28 February, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

T0226CarnivalParadiseHavana_HR The Carnival Paradise in Havana.The Carnival Paradise, a ship that sails Cuba cruises from Tampa, is undergoing an extensive month-long refurbishment in Freeport, Bahamas.

When the 20-year-old ship returns to service on March 26, it will have a water park, 38 new cabins, 98 balconies added to existing staterooms, and new bars and restaurants.

Among the new accommodations are two Grand Vista suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, 22 junior suites, two oceanview cabins and 12 interior accommodations. All staterooms will have new island-inspired interiors with bright colours.

The new dining and drinking options are establishments that are on many other Carnival ships:

The complimentary Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina, and the RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar.

The BlueIguana Cantina is a complimentary restaurant on the pool deck.

The WaterWorks Aqua Park on the Verandah Deck features the enclosed 300-foot-long Twister water slide, two 82-foot-long racing slides, and a splash zone for kids.

A nine-hole miniature golf course has been relocated to Deck 14.

The Camp Ocean play area for kids ages 2-11 showcases the wonders of the sea and offers ocean-themed activities, including arts and crafts and science-oriented programming.

The Carnival Paradise’s retail shops are being redesigned and will include Pandora and Guess. The Cherry on Top sweets shop is also being added. The printed photo gallery is being replaced with a digital Pixels-branded platform that allows guests to identify and purchase images via their smartphones or at a nearby kiosk.

The Carnival Paradise’s schedule includes four-day cruises to Cozumel and five-day cruises to Cozumel or Roatan, Grand Cayman or Key West. The ship also sails to Cuba with four-day cruises visiting Havana, five-day cruises calling at Havana and Cozumel or Key West, and eight-day voyages to Havana, Key West and Grand Cayman.

Norwegian Sun to Offer Cuba Cruises from PortMiami

Posted on 15 February, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

The Norwegian Sun is set for a short Cuba program from PortMiami

Norwegian Cruise Line put new cruises on sale to Cuba and the Caribbean aboard the Norwegian Sun round-trip from Miami, Florida.

“We are thrilled to reveal Norwegian Sun’s new fall 2018 itineraries, which will be the first time our brand has featured a call in Havana, Cuba on seven-day and longer cruises,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer for Norwegian Cruise Line. “These new itineraries offer a remarkable breadth of experiences for guests with a culturally immersive full day and evening in Havana, complemented by several visits to world-class destinations across the Caribbean and beyond.”

The Norwegian Sun will sail six new seven-day cruises from Miami departing on Sundays from September 9 through October 14.

Port calls include Havana, Cuba, Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island in the Bahamas; Costa Maya, Mexico and Harvest Caye, Belize. The ship’s nine-day Cuba and the Caribbean cruises will expand upon her seven-day sailings and also include additional visits to Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras and Cozumel, Mexico.

There’s also a 13-day Cuba, Caribbean and Panama Canal sailing on Oct. 30, with calls in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Cartagena and Santa Marta, Colombia and Oranjestad, Aruba, among others.

Norwegian Cruise Line has also added a new five-day cruise to Cuba and the Bahamas from Port Canaveral on September 3. The new cruise will round out the ship’s season sailing from the Space Coast with an afternoon visit to Key West, Florida then heads to Havana for an overnight visit, followed a call in Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.

Mariner of the Seas getting massive makeover

Posted on 30 October, 2017 by Spacejunkie2

Mariner of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International plans a major improvement in its short-cruise product, starting with a massive makeover of the 14-year-old Mariner of the Seas.

Speaking to a conference of Cruise One/Dream Vacations and Cruises Inc. agents aboard the Harmony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean president Michael Bayley said the line will spend over $100 million on the ship.

Plans call for a six-week drydock in Cadiz, Spain, in March and April. Bayley said it is the most money Royal Caribbean has ever spent renovating a ship.

“I’m calling it a modernization, not a refurbishment,” Bayley said. “We’re going to be adding concepts and redoing concepts,” he said.

When the work is finished, the 3,114-passenger Mariner will sail three- and four-day cruises from Miami. The ship is currently sailing in Asia.

The move will coincide with the June 2018 opening of the newly constructed dock at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, which will play a major role in the Mariner’s itineraries.

Bayley hinted there is more reinvestment yet to be disclosed. “It is attached to the Mariner and it is attached to the idea of boosting up the shore experience,” he said.

He said that the combined ship-shore package will be a “game changer” in the short-cruise market.

In May 2016, the Empress of the Seas started sailing short cruises after a $50 million renovation. That ship is now doing four-, five- and six-day cruises from Tampa on Caribbean itineraries that include Cuba.

The only other cruise line to spend more than $100 million in a single refurbishment was Carnival, which refitted the Carnival Destiny and renamed it the Carnival Sunshine in 2013 at a cost of $155 million.