Norwegian Cruise Line ships to be named Breakaway and Getaway

Posted on 14 September, 2011 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Cruise Line ships to be named Breakaway and Getaway

By Donna Tunney

Norwegian Cruise Line has selected the names for its two new ships: Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway.

The Breakaway is scheduled to launch in April 2013, and the Getaway in April 2014.

The names were selected following a naming contest held in conjunction with USA Today.

Norwegian said it felt the selected names “best reflected the innovation of the brand along with the freedom and flexibility of the line’s signature Freestyle Cruising, and invoked the feeling that these ships will provide a ‘break’ at sea from the stress of everyday life.”

The contest winners are Kimberly Powell of Lafayette, La., who first submitted Norwegian Breakaway, and Dennis Hultman of Vienna, Va., who first submitted Norwegian Getaway.

Powell and Hultman each will receive a trip for two to Norwegian Breakaway’s inaugural festivities, including the christening ceremony (date and location to be determined).

Final bow section placed on Disney Fantasy

Posted on 13 September, 2011 by Spacejunkie2

Final bow section placed on Disney Fantasy

By Donna Tunney

The final building block has been placed on the Disney Fantasy, a ship under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

Builders placed a 265-ton portion of the ship’s bow, complete with the signature Disney Cruise Line golden filigree.

The 4,000-passenger vessel, a sister ship to the Disney Dream, is scheduled to launch in March 2012.

Some of the new features on the Disney Fantasy include Europa, a nighttime entertainment district exclusively for guests 18 and older; a new show at the Animator’s Palate restaurant, where diners will serve as guest animators; the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, a salon where kids receive the “full fairy tale treatment with pixie-dusted and piratical makeovers”; and a Broadway-style show called “Disney’s Aladdin — A Musical Spectacular.”

The Disney Fantasy will sail seven-night Caribbean cruises. The maiden voyage is scheduled for March 31.

Royal Caribbean changes course on compensating stranded guests

Posted on 2 September, 2011 by Spacejunkie2

Royal Caribbean changes course on compensating stranded guests

By Donna Tunney

Royal Caribbean International backed off on its policy that says it won’t compensate passengers for weather events that alter a cruise.Royal Caribbean drew criticism after 130 people booked to sail on the Serenade of the Seas on Aug. 21 were stranded in San Juan after the ship departed early to avoid Hurricane Irene.

The cruise line is keeping mum on the amount of compensation.

“We are in the process of contacting those guests who were not able to sail with us to inform them of their compensation, and would prefer that the impacted guests learn of the amount directly from the line before it is disclosed publicly,” said spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez.

“We are compensating these passengers,” she added, “because we understand that this was an unusual situation, and we want to provide our guests with another opportunity to sail with Royal Caribbean International in the near future.”

Fifteen passengers who had booked their air through Royal Caribbean were provided hotel accommodations in San Juan on Aug. 21 and 22, along with air transportation to Aruba on Aug. 23, where they boarded the Serenade. These passengers also will be compensated, the line said, with a future cruise certificate for 30% of the cruise fare they paid.