Cruise Industry News | Canada's Travel Industry

By TravelPress Staff

March 7, 2012

Maid of the Mist will operate in 2012

Despite earlier reports that Niagara's Maid of the Mist would cease operations, the historic boat tour operator will return to the water for the 2012 season on both sides of the Niagara River Gorge, delivering its 166th year of tours to the base of the Horseshoe Falls. Maid of the Mist officials have completed discussions with the Niagara Parks Commission regarding operational issues and have decided that the tours will go forward for 2012. The boats will begin operating on April 12 - three weeks ahead of last year, due to unseasonably warm temperatures and ice-free conditions on Lake Erie...

By TravelPress Staff

March 7, 2012

Carnival Destiny to undergo dramatic transformation

Representing Carnival Cruise Lines' most ambitious refit and transformation project ever, Carnival Destiny will undergo a US$155-million makeover next year that will incorporate all of the line's "Fun Ship 2.0"dining, bar and entertainment features, as well as a variety of new innovations unique to this vessel. The refit will also include a reconfigured layout, the addition of a partial deck and the expansion of two other decks within the forward section of the ship, providing the opportunity to incorporate a number of new on-board spaces, including 182 new cabins. Completely renovated main...

By TravelPress Staff

March 7, 2012

Royal Princess inaugural cruise tickets up for auction

As time nears for bookings to open on Princess Cruises' new ship, Royal Princess, the line is holding an unprecedented charity auction for a chance to secure a stateroom aboard the ship's inaugural sailing on June 16, 2013. The auction, which is now opens on eBay under the eBay Giving Works program, will enable one lucky bidder to become the very first passenger booked on the ship, while at the same time raising money to support worldwide charitable causes. All proceeds from the eBay auction will go directly to the Princess Cruises Community Foundation, which supports causes around the globe....

By TravelPress Staff

March 7, 2012

Priscilla Presley named American Queen godmother

The Great American Steamboat Company has named Priscilla Presley as the godmother of the steamboat American Queen. Presley, who is synonymous with Graceland in the steamboat's homeport of Memphis, will name the vessel in a christening ceremony at the revitalized Beale Street Landing on April 27. Highlights of the festivities will include performances by local musicians, a bottle of champagne crashing against the stern and the sounds of the American Queen Calliope as it steams off up the Mississippi River. The Great American Steamboat Company has also entered into an exclusive partnership with...

By TravelPress Staff

March 5, 2012

Princess puts ‘Denali on Sale’

Princess Cruises has launched a new "Denali on Sale"promotion, giving travellers a chance to take advantage of the lowest Alaska cruisetour fares of the season. The sale, which runs from March 5-15, features special rates on land and sea vacations to the state's most popular inland attraction - Denali National Park with its magnificent Mt. McKinley. Denali Explorer cruisetours begin at US$799 p.p. for a 10-day vacation, including a seven-day Alaska cruise with a land tour into the Alaska wilderness to see the majesty of Denali, and North America's tallest peak. Travellers will enjoy...

By TravelPress Staff

March 5, 2012

Rhapsody of the Seas set for $54 million revitalization

Royal Caribbean International's Rhapsody of the Seas has entered Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore to begin a month-long, $54 million drydock where it will undergo a major revitalization and emerge with an array of new amenities. The ship revitalization is the largest of its kind ever to take place in Singapore and will employ more than 800 local workers from the region. Part of the cruise line's Vision Class of ships, Rhapsody of the Seas will receive a host of new dining and entertainment venues as well as an assortment of technological upgrades. The ship also will receive a bow-to-stern...

By TravelPress Staff

March 2, 2012

Free air or cruise gratuities from Encore

Starting tomorrow (March 2), Encore Cruises is introducing two exclusive promotions, allowing passengers to choose either complimentary prepaid gratuities, or free air from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale with Thomas Cook Canada, when booking a cruise on the Allure of the Seas or the Oasis of the Seas. These offers are valid on all new bookings made between March 2 and 10 for sailings between March 18 and April 15, exclusively on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas or Oasis of the Seas. The prepaid gratuity offer is available for the first and second passengers when booking a balcony stateroom...

By TravelPress Staff

March 1, 2012

CLIA’s Duffy to testify on safety

Christine Duffy, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), will represent the cruise industry today (March 1) before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation at a hearing titled "Oversight of the Cruise Ship Industry: Are Current Regulations Sufficient to Protect Passengers & the Environment?" Duffy will address cruise ship industry practices with regard to safety, security and environmental protection. While the hearing will review the Costa Concordia incident of Jan. 13, Duffy will also provide a broader industry perspective on the regulation of...

By Bob Mowat

March 1, 2012

Costa Concordia still making waves: Ipsos

The Costa Concordia accident that took place off the coast of Italy's Isola del Giglio on Jan. 13 of this year is causing confusion amongst American cruisers according to a recently released survey by Ipsos. That survey canvassed over 18,000 Americans about the Costa Concordia sinking and found that one in three of them didn't know which cruise line was involved in the incident. Ipsos found that while 93% of U.S. respondents were aware of the disaster, 35% of those questioned were uncertain which cruise line was involved -- despite the massive amount of media coverage the event attracted. In...

By TravelPress Staff

March 1, 2012

Royal Caribbean to build second ‘Project Sunshine’ ship

Royal Caribbean Cruises has exercised its option to build a second Sunshine-class cruise ship to be delivered in spring 2015. The ship will be built by German shipbuilder Meyer Werft on substantially the same terms as the first Sunshine ship. "This confirms our continued confidence in the success of this new generation of ships and our strong conviction about the Royal Caribbean International brand,"said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises,...