Category — Cruise Lines

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

This May, the City by the Bay is getting a permanent visitor on its coastline. No, not more sea lions or seagulls. San Francisco is going to be the home port for the new and improved Grand Princess. [Read more →]

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

Jean-Michel Cousteau, the renown oceanographer, will be sharing his knowledge of the sea and his experiences advocating for oceans on four Paul Gauguin cruises in 2013. During these cruises he will lecture, show films of his works and accompany guests on several dives. [Read more →]

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

Holland America introduced a new vegetarian and vegan-friendly menu of 22-dishes including appetizers, salads, entrées and soups this month. The cruise line will also offer 30 new vegetarian options on their traditional menu. [Read more →]

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

It’s not very often that  luxury liners stop in the United States as they are usually sailing to all the exotic corners of the globe, so our consultants jumped at the chance to tour the Azamara Journey when she docked in New York last month. After her brief stop, the Azamara Journey was cruising from New York to Paris on  a transatlantic voyage. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Carnival Cruises.

The Carnival Miracle charts a new course. The ship, which will now be doing 8-day cruises year-round from New York City, features the first comedy club with George Lopez serving as namesake.  The ship will also offer complimentary appetizers from Carnival’s popular dining destinations. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Avalon Waterways.

Starting in 2013, passengers on any Avalon Waterways’ river cruise will have more options when it comes to touring ports and dining. This week the company announced a new initiative called Avalon Choice. “Now, and only with Avalon, at every turn, cruisers will enjoy the luxury of choice,” said Patrick Clark, managing director for Avalon Waterways.

Continue on for more details or call us to start planning your 2013 river cruise, but hurry – they book up quickly. [Read more →]

By The Cruise Web, Inc.

What is the key sign of spring?

Is it the  spike in temperatures? Having more hours of sunlight? The chirping of blue birds? Nope. The true sign that spring is here is the blooming of flowers like the cherry blossoms, the tulips and the daffodils.

And this year, 2012, is a special year for flowers. Floriade, the ultimate flower festival, which only happens once every 10 years,  is going on right now in the Netherlands. The show covers 163 acres with 1.8 million bulb flowers, 5,000 rose bushes and 3,000 trees. Floriade is a celebration of flowers, gardening and nature and seeks to educate people on the importance of  the environment.  One exhibit even allows visitors to do the work of bees using scanning devices to digitally collect pollen. Floriade features exhibits from 35 different countries along with cultural programs from dancers, singers and theater troupes.

But you have to act fast to make sure you can be a part of this once-in-a-decade event which runs from April 5 to October 7, 2012. The best way to take in the sights of Floriade is to visit via a river cruise.  River cruise operators Uniworld and Avalon Waterways have created special itineraries to take advantage of this amazing and rare event. Keep reading for the details. [Read more →]

Courtesy of Oceania Cruises.

Oceania Cruises prides itself on having some of the best chefs and dishes sailing the seven seas. In fact, the deluxe line is home to the only restaurants that bear Jacques Pepin’s name. The famed French chef serves as the culinary inspiration for all of Oceania, working with the ships’ chefs to develop menus and demo dishes.

Here is a recipe for one of the expertly constructed dishes that is available on board.   Bon appetite!

Salad: Spring Greens with Orange, Fennel, Manchego and Macadamia Vinaigrette

Serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients:

• 1-Large Fennel Bulb
• 24-raw Macadamia nuts (cut in half)
• 2- oranges
• 12-cups mixed baby greens
• 5-ounces of Manchego Cheese
• 6-to-12- springs of chervil
• 1- tbs finely chopped shallot
• 2.5-tbs lemon juice
• .5- cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Discard the fronds and stalks of the Fennel. Cut the bulb in half and peel of  and discard the tough outer layer along with the core.

2. Cut the remaining bulb into thin slices using a mandolin. Place these slices in a bowl of ice water for 30 min.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spread the macadamia nut halves on a sheet  and toast until golden (should be about 10 min.) [Read more →]

Courtesy of Paul Gauguin Cruises.

Paul Gauguin Cruises offers young passengers a chance to get hands-on experiences with the under water world of French Polynesia with their Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program. The program is spearheaded by Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques Costeau, who has carried on his father’s legacy by committing his life to educating young and old alike about the wonders of the sea.

The Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program invites ship passengers aged 9-17 to go underwater to see coral reefs and wildlife and to travel the land visiting the rainforest trails and  ancient Polynesian temples. The program also includes education on the islands’ big exports pearls and vanilla as well as explaining interesting local phenomena like how volcanoes become coral atolls.

This program is available on all Paul Gauguin Cruises from June to August. Parents are always invited and encouraged to join their children for any of the programs activities during their sailing.

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Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Not since “The Love Boat” have cruise ships gotten so much screen time. Lifetime Network will be premiering  a new dating reality series, “Love for Sail,” which takes place on three of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships. The show will  premiere on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, at 10 pm ET/PT.

In each episode of “Love for Sail,” four  women looking for love will board a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, either Epic, Pearl or Star and set sail to exotic locations surrounded by a group of equally-eager single men ready to embark on what they hope to be the voyage of their lives.

“We are thrilled to work with Lifetime … on a unique series that showcases the many aspects of cruising from lavish suites and incredible dining options to innovative on board activities and exciting shore excursions,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “There is such romance in being at sea; this show will do a great job of showcasing that and sharing the stories of these guests who may find the love of their life aboard.” [Read more →]