Cruise Holidays survey: Quantum the most anticipated ship

By Tom Stieghorst

Quantum-NorthStarPod-Render.jpgCruise Holidays said Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas is the most anticipated cruise ship due in 2014.

In a survey of 133 of its franchisees about trends in cruising next year, Cruise Holidays found that when asked which ship they are anticipating the most, the “overwhelming response” was Quantum.

Other cruise ships entering service in 2014 include the Costa Diadema, Regal Princess and Norwegian Getaway.

Cruise Holidays said that the Quantum, which debuts in November 2014, accounts for 20% of its 2015 bookings so far in 2015.

Quantum, the first in a new class of ships for Royal Caribbean, will carry 4,100 passengers and will sail year-round from Bayonne, N.J., on seven- to 12-day cruises to the Bahamas and the eastern and southern Caribbean.

The survey said the Caribbean continues to command the most bookings of any cruise region by a wide margin, with 54.8% of the total for next year. Europe as a whole remains second with 10.4%, with Alaska third at 9.1% and Bermuda next at 3.5%

River cruises were included for comparison in the list for the first time. They account for 5.7% of all Cruise Holidays bookings in 2014.

Costa Luminosa begins seasonal Miami deployment

By Tom Stieghorst

Costa Cruises said the largest ship it has ever sailed from Miami has begun a series of 10-day winter cruises to the Caribbean.

The 2009-built Costa Luminosa is 92,000 gross tons and carries 2,260 passengers. It replaces the 85,700-ton, 2,112-passenger Costa Mediterranea, which sailed last year from Miami. Sixty-eight percent of the ship’s cabins have balconies, the largest percentage in Costa’s fleet.

The Costa ship joins a crowd of other vessels in the Caribbean this winter, including the MSC Divina, which arrived last month, and the Norwegian Getaway, set to debut in February.

Costa Luminosa will stay in the Caribbean through mid-March.

MSC adds new ports to winter Caribbean schedule

MSC adds new ports to winter Caribbean schedule

By Tom Stieghorst
MSC Cruises said that it has added several ports of call and itineraries to its winter lineup in the Caribbean with the arrival for year-round Miami service of MSC Divina.

Among the new ports Divina will visit are Cartagena, Colombia; Cristobal, Panama; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; and Costa Maya, Mexico.

New itineraries include a 10-night voyage departing Miami on Nov. 12, 2014, with stops in Falmouth, Jamaica; Cartagena; Cristobal; Puerto Limon; and Cozumel.

The Divina is en route from Italy and will arrive in Miami the week before Thanksgiving.