Tag Archives: Caribbean itineraries

MSC offers free Caribbean cruise with purchase of Med sailing

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By Tom Stieghorst
MSC Divina 410MSC Cruises said it will give a free, transferable cruise on select 2014 sailings of MSC Divina in the Caribbean for anyone who books the ship for a Mediterranean cruise next summer before Oct. 31.

A $500 deposit on the Mediterranean cruise is required to take advantage of the offer.

Divina began sailing in North America about a year ago on seven-day Caribbean itineraries out of Miami. It will return next summer to Mediterranean itineraries from May 16 through Sept. 19.

MSC is promoting a $1,899 package that includes roundtrip airfare to Rome or Barcelona, a seven-day cruise, a two-night post-cruise stay in a four-star hotel and all transfers needed.

Travel gateways are New York, Chicago and Miami. Government taxes and fees are extra.

MSC Cruises changes course for Divina

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By Tom Stieghorst

MSC Divina in the Caribbean Video

MSC Cruises said the MSC Divina, a ship that was scheduled to sail year-round from Miami, will be moved to the Mediterranean for summer 2015 before returning for the winter of 2015-16 in the Caribbean.

The ship began sailing from Miami in November and was the centerpiece of an MSC marketing campaign in North America. It will continue on current Caribbean itineraries for the rest of 2014 and the first four months of 2015.

In a statement, MSC Cruises USA President Rick Sasso said “customer surveys are showing an increased desire for North Americans to sail onboard MSC Divina in the Mediterranean.”

Industry-wide, Caribbean pricing has suffered from a glut of capacity this year, while demand for European cruises has been surprisingly strong, especially from North America. The weak economies in several European countries and high airfares led some cruise lines to reduce capacity in Europe this year.

MSC said the changes to Divina designed to bring it more in line with American tastes will remain in place for its summer in Europe. Upon returning in the fall of 2015 to the U.S., Divina will get some “surprise enhancements” for the North American market.

In a conference call with analysts earlier Tuesday, Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan mentioned the Divina move, saying its arrival in Miami was a significant addition to capacity in the Caribbean that would be removed next summer.
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Independence of the Seas to sail Caribbean cruises

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By Tom Stieghorst

Royal Caribbean International said the Independence of the Seas will spend its first summer in the Caribbean in 2015, returning from deployment in Europe.

The ship will sail alternating seven-day eastern and western Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale.

Royal Caribbean recently announced that its largest ship, Allure of the Seas, which had been sailing from Fort Lauderdale year round, would be sent to Europe for the summer in 2015.

Oasis of the Seas will continue from Fort Lauderdale, and Freedom of the Seas from Port Canaveral next summer.

Grandeur of the Seas will continue sailing to Bermuda and the Bahamas in the summer of 2015 from Baltimore, and alternate Bermuda with Canada/New England itineraries in the fall.

Brilliance of the Seas will do Canada/New England fall itineraries from Boston, while Serenade of the Seas will sail back and forth between the New York area and Quebec City on 10- to 14-day foliage sailings.