Stephanie The Travel Agent Next Door: Carnival

Tuesday, 31 July 2018

2019 Cruise Line Expansion

So 2019 has seven plus one ship scheduled to set sail.
I am sure you are asking what does this plus one mean. The Norwegian Joy will join her sister ship the Bliss in Alaska. Although technically she is not a new ship. She was released in 2017 for the Chinese market. She will be getting a $40 million dry dock overhaul to make her over for the North American market. She will start her season out in Alaska and will sail from the West Coast year round.

Norwegian Joy (photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

The Norwegian Encore will be the second Norwegian ship to market this year with a launch date set for Fall 2019. It is in the last ship in the Breakaway Plus class of ships and will make 17 cruise ships for Norwegian. It will feature an observation lounge. "Experience sheer awe from our 180-degree indoor Observation Lounge - offering Norwegian's most expansive views at sea. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide spectacular vistas while cruising past spectacular seascapes, landscapes and cityscapes. And with a full-service bar, you can toast to colourful sunsets with your favourite cocktail."

Observation Lounge (photo courtesy of ncl.com)

Costa will be bringing the Smeralda to life in October 2019. It is named after a popular tourist destination in Italy. What will be on the ship is being kept a secret it will however be sailing the Western Mediterranean.

Costa Smeralda (photo courtesy of cruisecritic.com)

The Sky Princess will debut in 2019 for the Princess cruise line and will sail the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. "Crowning the heights of Sky Princess®, each of the ship’s two Sky Suites hosts up to five guests, dazzling you with a 270-degree panorama throughout your voyage. Complementing the exquisitely appointed interior living spaces, a luxuriously furnished 700-square-foot balcony – the largest at sea – invites you to relax privately or host your own celebrations or catered events."

Sky Suite (rendering from Princesscruise.com)

Carnival will have a new ship in 2019 also with the Carnival Panorama. It will be setting sail on the West Coast. Seems like the West Coast is finally getting some love with newer ships. It will be sailing out of Long Beach, California and will have some of Horizon and and Vista as they are it's sister ships but with a West Coast Vibe.

Carnival Panorama (photo courtesy of cruisebuzz.net)

The next ship will be the MSC Bellissima and this ship will also start out in the Mediterranean, They will be featuring Cirque de Soleil on the ship 2 times a night six days a week. MSC has an exclsuive partnership for Cirque de Soleil at Sea. They will also feature F1 simulators for the Formula One Racing Fan. So much to see and do.

Bellissima (photo courtesy of cruiseweb.com)

The Spectrum of the Sea will be the new Royal Quatum Class ship and will be doing Asian Itineraries. "Discover a Far East adventure full of new feats and firsts on Spectrum of the Seas℠, the first of the Quantum Ultra Class ships. From high-flying virtual reality thrills in the Sky Pad℠ and custom juice drink creations crafted by robots at the Bionic Bar®, to revolutionary Golden Suites accommodations with exclusive amenities like private dining rooms, lounges and a Solarium. Not to mention karaoke performances in your own private 3D cinema in the brand new Ultimate Family Suite."

Last but not least will be the MSC Grandiosa will also be doing the Mediterranean. There are definitely not a lack of itineraries or ports in this area. I am doing my second next year with some ports the same and some different and different cruise line. They will also feature the Cirque de Soleil with 2 shows a night six days a week.

Photo courtesy of CruiseWeb.com

So as you can tell based on my last two blogs we are definitely not lacking in choices of Ships and more to come. I can even tell you new ships scheduled right into the 2020'2. Virgin is hitting the cruise market with the launch of their first ship in 2020.

There is so many places that you can now see and visit from the comfort of a cruise ship. Only having to unpack once.

I am always ready to help you make your next cruise experience as seamless and as magical as possible

Where you can find me:

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Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

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Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Thursday, 26 July 2018

Expanding Cruise Lines

The cruise lines are expanding and each one seems to want to make the biggest ship ever or have the best entertainment on board.
2018 will see new eight new ships. The first out the gate was Royal in March with the Symphony of the Seas currently sailing the Western Caribbean. I must say this family suite is so on my bucket list, which means I am going to have to travel more times in a year.

Ultimate Family Suite (courtesy of rcl.com)

The second to make it to market is the Carnival Horizon in April currently sailing for Bermuda and the Caribbean from NY. There association is with Dr. Seuss so they have created a very kid friendly water park with many famous Dr. Seuss characters.

Dr Seuss Waterworks (courtesy of carnival.com)

The third ship is the Norwegian Bliss that was also released in April and is currently sailing in Alaska. A first at sea with a go-kart track on the ship

racing at sea (courtesy of metro.co.uk)

The fourth ship is the Seabourn Ovation which set sail in May and is currently sailing in Europe, It is an ultra luxury cruise line. They are smaller ship sailing with only 600 passengers and in luxurious accommodations.

Wintergarden Suite (courtesy of seabourn.com)

The fifth ship to launch this year is the MSC Seaview in June sailing the Mediterranean and then it will move to South America. MSC has catered to Europeans but is slowly becoming a North American player in the cruising industry. MSC has a partnership with Lego for their kids club area.

lego play area (courtesy of msc.com)

The sixth ship to launch this year is the Viking Orion in June sailing the Australia and the Mediterranean. This another luxury line with a capacity of only 930 passengers. Viking also happens to be a river cruise company as well. This ship has added a planetarium to their open space.

The Observatory (photo courtesy of cruisecritic.com)

The seventh ship will launch in December and will be the Nieuw Statendam from Holland America. The ship will be based in the Caribbean with alternating itineraries. This ship will have on board cooking shows and hand on workshops. Holland America tends to cater to an older crowd of cruisers.

Spa Inside (courtesy of Holland America.com)

The last ship of 2018 and certainly not the list will be the Celebrity Edge which is set to launch in December as well. It is set to sail in the Caribbean also with alternating itineraries. The highlight of this new ship is the Magic Carpet. "The highlight of our outward-facing vision is the Magic Carpet, an extraordinary venue that changes mood, function, and even its location. This incredible engineering feat is the world’s first cantilevered, floating platform that reaches heights of 13 stories above sea level, so you can soar over the open ocean. With breathtaking views, a full bar, and space for live music performances, it truly is a destination itself."

Stateroom with an infinity veranda (celebritycruise.com)

I would like to try a few of these ships I see many more cruise's in my future. Which ship would you chose if you could chose just one? Looking forward to your comments.