Caribbean Princess getting new amenities during renovation

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Caribbean Princess

The Caribbean Princess will emerge with new features following a two-week drydock in Freeport, Bahamas, from March 26 to April 6.

Princess Cruises is adding amenities catering to families, including 87 interconnecting staterooms, the Camp Discovery Youth & Teen Center and a higher-resolution outdoor screen for Movies Under the Stars.

Camp Discovery will feature the Treehouse for kids ages 3-7 (formerly Pelicans), the Lodge for kids 8-12 (formerly Shockwaves) and the Beach House for teenagers (formerly Remix).

All staterooms will be outfitted with the Princess Luxury Bed, developed in collaboration with sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus and HGTV designer Candice Olson.

Also, the Caribbean Princess will offer Club Class Mini-Suites, the new premium stateroom category featuring VIP amenities and exclusive dining.

The renovated Caribbean Princess will start its Europe season with a transatlantic sailing on April 6, continuing throughout the summer in the British Isles.

Norwegian Cruise Line hikes Gratuities

Norwegian Sky

Norwegian Cruise Line is raising gratuities on April 1, and one ship, the Norwegian Sky, will have a bigger increase than the others.

Gratuities fleetwide on standard cabins are currently $13.50 per person, per day. The amount for ships other than Norwegian Sky will be adjusted to $13.99, a 3.6% increase. Daily gratuities for standard cabins on the Sky are rising to $18.99, a 41% increase.

Gratuities for suites are $21.99 for the Sky and $16.99 for the rest of the fleet, up from $15.50 currently.

Norwegian said the new gratuity schedule for the Sky was implemented “to better address the demands of the enormously successful all-inclusive product.” The ship, which does short cruises from Miami, has had an open bar since the start of 2016. Beginning in May, the Sky’s four-day cruises will include a stop in Havana instead of the Bahamas.

Norwegian said any guest that has made a booking by March 31, 2017 will have the option of prepaying their service charges at the current rate if done prior to sail date.

The gratuity amounts are automatically added to a guest’s shipboard account. Guests can adjust the rate upward or downward, but only by contacting guest relations at Norwegian after they have returned from their cruise.

Carnival Ecstasy returns to service following refurbishment

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The Carnival Ecstasy received new restaurants, bars and shops during a two-week dry dock in the Bahamas.

They include installation of a Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina poolside, the Alchemy Bar and a Cherry On Top candy store.

The upgrades took place from Jan. 10 to 24.

The Ecstasy is now back in Charleston, S.C., where it sails year-round on four- to 10-day departures.