Carnival Corp. building new maritime training center

Posted on 8 October, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Jerry Limone

Carnival Corp. will construct a training facility for deck and technical officers in Almere, Netherlands.

The company already has a maritime training center in Almere, the Center for Simulator Maritime Training (CSMART). The new CSMART will be three times larger, according to Carnival Corp.

Construction is scheduled to start next year, and a 2016 opening is planned.

The facility will serve 6,500 deck and technical officers per year from all nine of Carnival Corp.’s cruise brand, the company said.

Carnival said it worked with Dutch company Amvest Vastgoed to purchase the seven-acre property.

Carnival charging $20 for premium steaks in main dining room

Posted on 29 September, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Tom Stieghorst

Carnival Cruise Lines said it has begun offering premium steaks for a $20 surcharge in its main dining rooms.

The menu addition was tested on four ships and was expanded to most of its fleet in August, spokeswoman Jennifer De La Cruz said.

Labeled “Steakhouse Selections” on the menu, the aged prime meats come as a 9-ounce filet mignon or a 14-ounce New York strip steak. Diners can order a lobster with their premium steak.

Carnival will continue offering steak and lobster as part of its complimentary menu in the main dining room.

Each Carnival ship already has a steak specialty restaurant with limited seating and a cover charge of $35 per diner.

Carnival’s vacation guarantee renewed

Posted on 17 September, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Tom Stieghorst

Carnival Cruise Lines is renewing its Great Vacation Guarantee for another year, after guests used it 47 times to get refunds since its debut in September 2013.

Since then, about 4.5 million people have cruised with Carnival. Jim Berra, Carnival’s chief marketing officer, said someone is statistically more likely to date a supermodel than to ask for a refund, based on those figures.

The guarantee provides for a 110% refund, complimentary transportation home and a $100 shipboard credit on a future cruise if guests are dissatisfied with their vacation for any reason.

The guarantee must be invoked within the first 24 hours of the cruise. The program applies to U.S. and Canadian passengers only and those using it must have a valid passport to return to their countries by air.