Brand new Majestic Princess to Sail from Sydney

Princess Cruises Announces Majestic Princess to Sail from Sydney over 2018-19 Summer

Majestic Princess

In a major development for the local cruise industry, Princess Cruises has announced that its latest ship, the spectacular Majestic Princess, will be based in Sydney over the 2018-19 summer season.

Carrying 3560 guests, the 143,000-tonne Majestic Princess will be the largest Princess ship ever to sail in Australian waters, with her deployment confirming the cruise line’s popularity amongst Australian and New Zealand cruisers.

The luxurious flagship of Princess Cruises’ 18-ship fleet, the newly-launched Majestic Princess sailed on her maiden voyage in Italy last week (April 4). She will offer cruises in Europe and China before heading south to Sydney where she will be homeported from September 2018 through to March 2019, when she will return to China.

During her inaugural Australian season, Majestic Princess will sail on 16 cruises to destinations including Fiji, New Zealand and Tasmania as well as two Asia voyages between Shanghai and Sydney, and Sydney and Hong Kong. Fares start from $1499* per person twin share for a balcony room on a six-night roundtrip cruise to Tasmania departing November 18, 2018.

The ultimate in premium cruising, Majestic Princess features 13 dining options including two restaurants with menus designed by Michelin star chefs – Harmony by Chef Richard Chen and La Mer by Chef Emmanuel Renaut – as well as more than 1000 square metres of designer shopping, the cruise line’s largest ever thermal suite and a dramatic over-the-ocean glass walkway, the SeaWalk.

Deluxe Balcony Room

Guests can enjoy a wide range of high-end accommodation including suites, Club Class mini-suites and new deluxe balcony rooms, with more than 80 per cent of the ship’s 1780 staterooms offering private balconies.

Majestic Princess’ deployment is a highlight of Princess Cruises’ new 2018-19 Australia and New Zealand program which will go on sale at 9am on Thursday April 27, 2017. The program features four Princess ships – Majestic Princess, Golden Princess, Sun Princess and Sea Princess – which will together offer almost 100 cruises from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Fremantle and Auckland over a seven-month period.

Unveiling the program, Princess Cruises Vice President Australia & New Zealand Stuart Allison said the deployment of Majestic Princess was testament to Australians’ love of cruising and the popularity of Princess Cruises in the region.

La Mer Restaurant

“From her gourmet restaurants to her stunning onboard features, Majestic Princess is nothing short of magnificent. We’re thrilled to be welcoming our newest, most stylish and most luxurious flagship to our shores – having just experienced her preview voyage I know Australian cruisers will love all that she has to offer,” Mr Allison said.

Majestic Princess has already attracted enthusiastic reviews from media and travel agents. Cruise Critic Editor in Chief Carolyn Spencer Brown said: “It's as if Majestic has pulled together the best of cruise worlds, old and new.” Meanwhile Australian travel agent Janette Wall from Cruiseabout said: “Majestic Princess has certainly raised the bar for the 21st century cruiser.”

Princess’ latest program also reinforces the cruise line’s role as the destination experts, revealing two new ports of call for the cruise line – the stunning and remote Conflict Islands in Papua New Guinea and Queensland’s exciting Moreton Island, famous for its great marine life and fun adventure activities. In total the program covers cruises to 72 different ports in 18 countries.

Meanwhile, the 2018-19 summer will see Princess deliver its biggest ever New Zealand season, with a record 39 cruises to Australia’s transTasman neighbour. Majestic Princess alone will sail on 14 New Zealand cruises, including six one-way cruises between Sydney and Auckland.

Cruises available in the new program include:

Majestic Princess’ first roundtrip cruise from Sydney – a 12-night cruise to Fiji and New Caledonia departing September 15, 2018 priced from $1899* per person twin share for an inside cabin and $2699* per person twin share for a balcony room.

A 13-night roundtrip cruise from Melbourne to New Zealand’s North and South Islands on Golden Princess, departing Melbourne on November 8, 2018 with fares from $2199* per person twin share

An 18-night roundtrip cruise to New Zealand and southern Australia from Adelaide on Golden Princess, departing January 7, 2019 and priced from $3299* per person twin share

A four-night roundtrip Sun Princess cruise from Sydney on January 5, 2019, making the cruise line’s maiden call to Moreton Island. Fares start from $679* per person twin share

An 11-night roundtrip cruise from Brisbane to Papua New Guinea on Sea Princess, making the cruise line’s first call to the Conflict Islands. Fares start from $2199* per person twin share for the cruise departing December 16, 2018.

For more information visit www.princess.com, call 13 24 88 or see a licensed travel agent.

*Subject to availability, conditions apply.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers US$500 shipboard credits

 
Regent Seven Seas Cruises takes guests to some of the world's most exciting and compelling destinations aboard the world's most-luxurious ships with all-suite, all-balcony accommodation. Beginning April 1, 2017, Australian and New Zealand travellers can take advantage of a limited-time Book Now Reward offer and receive up to US$500 shipboard credit, per suite, for all new bookings on any unforgettable 2017 Regent Seven Seas Cruises voyage.

"Regent Seven Seas Cruises delivers the most-inclusive and luxurious travel experiences that showcase more than 425 destinations worldwide," said Steve Odell, Senior Vice President and Managing Director Asia Pacific for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.  "Australian and New Zealand travellers should take advantage of the Book Now Reward to select an unforgettable experience in a part of the world they have always wanted to visit, or visit again."

With the new Book Now Reward offer, travellers will receive US$500 shipboard credit, per suite, for any new bookings made between April 1 and May 31, 2017 on a 2017 Mediterranean voyage, and US$250 shipboard credit per suite on all other 2017 voyages.

While Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers the most-inclusive, luxurious experience, guests can apply their shipboard credit to make their voyage extra memorable, such as choosing an indulgent and rejuvenating treatment in the ships Canyon Ranch SpaClub, or by spoiling themselves in our on board boutiques.

Guests also can choose extra special Regent Choice excursions, such as a Tuscan cooking class and lunch in an exclusive Lucca restaurant when calling at Livorno, Italy; or a new Seven Seas Wellness experience at Provence (Marseilles), France, which combines a very intimate Tai Chi class in the garden courtyard of the Pharo Palace, with a signature Canyon Ranch SpaClub service to create an individualised wellness program.

For more specific itinerary details or for general information about Regent Seven Seas Cruises, visit www.RSSC.com, email res.apac@rssc.com , call Australia: 1300 455 200, New Zealand: 0800 625 692, or contact your preferred travel agent.

Silversea reveals Silver Muse’s Balsorano Owner’s Suite

 
The new flagship's premier suite has been designed in conjunction with Chairman, Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio

 
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Ultra-luxury cruise line Silversea, has revealed details of Silver Muse's Balsorano Owner's Suite, a unique space which reflects the taste and Italian tradition of Silversea chairman, Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio.

Named Balsorano, the suite draws inspiration from the chairman's full name, Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio di Balsorano de Clunieres. Balsorano is also a castle in Italy.

At more than 1000 square feet in size, the Balsorano Suite contains a specially curated selection of Mr Lefebvre's personal items including books, sculptures, works of art and family photographs. Among the items chosen are a chesterfield chair and ottoman, an additional chair from Mr. Lefebvre's former family residence in Rome, and photos of Mr. Antonio Lefebvre, Mr. Lefebvre's father and mentor.

The bookshelf in the Balsorano Suite is adorned with Mr. Lefebvre's favourite titles, including: The Great Navigators of the Eighteenth Century by Jules Verne; The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean by David Abulafia; and After the Victorians: The World Our Parents Knew by A.N. Wilson.

The Balsorano Suite will also be stocked with vintage port, each variety having been specially selected by Mr. Lefebvre himself.

Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, Silversea Chairman, said: "I am incredibly proud to present the Balsorano Suite, a space which superbly encapsulates my family's Italian heritage and taste. I hope that guests will, like me, find the Balsorano Suite a spectacular home away from home aboard Silver Muse."

Barbara Muckermann, Chief Marketing Officer at Silversea Cruises, said: "Owned and operated by one family – the Lefebvres of Rome – Italian tradition is firmly ingrained in the Silversea brand. As is reflected across the entire ship, much passion and pride has gone into the creation of the Balsorano Suite, the most luxurious suite on Silver Muse."

Calling at 34 countries and 130 ports in 2017 alone, Silver Muse will redefine ocean travel, enhancing the small-ship intimacy with spacious all-suite accommodations that are the hallmarks of the Silversea experience. The addition of Silver Muse, will expand Silversea's fleet to nine ships and will once again significantly raise the bar in the ultra-luxury cruise market.

For more information contact your travel professional or Silversea Cruises on +61 2 9255 0600 or 1300 306 872 (Australia) or 0800 701 427 (New Zealand), or visit www.silversea.com

Cruise special deal Carnival Spirit

MAY CRUISE SPECIALS

CARNIVAL SPIRIT

Call Andrew on 02 9369 4466

Departs 09 May 2017 – 08 Nights New Caledonia

Interior Category $999.00 per person twin share with AUD50 dollars per person on board credit

Departs 17 May 2017 – 08 Nights New Caledonia

Interior Category $899.00 per person twin share with AUD50 dollars per person on board credit

Oceanview Category $1099.00 per person twin share with AUD50 dollars per person on board credit

Balcony Category $1399.00 per person twin share with AUD100 dollars per person on board credit

Carnival Cruises New Mobile App

Carnival Cruise Line has launched its free mobile app, Carnival Hub, on its Australia–based ships, giving guests instant access to all the fun onboard.

Guests will be able to use the Carnival Hub to maximise their fun throughout their cruise, with the app featuring the cruise line's Fun Times daily activities schedule as well as a 'favourites' function allowing guests to bookmark the day's best events. Other features include a reminder to attend chosen events, searchable deck plans with attractions highlighted, itinerary details including port visits and a real-time shipboard account balance.

For a one-off fee per cruise of AU$9, the app also offers a 'chat' function, making it easy to connect with family and friends onboard. The function automatically adds guests travelling together to a contact list, making it easy to arrange to catch up with friends and family while unique identification number allows guests to add new friends to their chat contacts.

Whales, Waves and Wilderness with CruiseAway

Sail to the spectacular fjords and pristine wilderness of Alaska on board Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas. This exclusive cruise package has been specially created by CruiseAway.com.au experts.

Set sail from Sydney and meander your way through the exquisite pacific island destinations New Caledonia, Fiji, and Hawaii before disembarking for a 4 night interlude exploring Seattle. Then time to head back onboard to cruise through the charming townships of Alaska where you will explore the wondrous Alaskan scenery in all its glory. The highlight of the cruise is the staggering Tracy Arm Fjord, with dramatic glaciers and native wildlife you will truly experience the beauty of Alaska.

Prices start from an incredible $5899 per person and this package includes one way flights from Seattle to Sydney, total of 29 nights on board Explorer of the Seas, 4-night accommodation in a 4-star hotel while in Seattle, Premium Seattle city tour, Boeing Factory tour and private transfers throughout.

Conditions apply. Offer is valid until sold out.

Link to offer: https://www.cruiseaway.com.au/cruise/waves-whales-and-wilderness-583538

Contact www.cruiseaway.com.au / Phone: 1300 306 134

Silversea Silver Cloud new designs revealed

The ship's multi-million dollar refurbishment to set new standards in luxury expedition cruising

Silversea has released a selection of renderings showcasing the beautifully crafted Silver Cloud interiors ahead of her conversion into an ice-class expedition ship, which will take place between August and October this year. Silver Cloud, which launched the Silversea fleet in 1994, will offer the ultra-luxury distinctions of a classic Silversea ship combined with the strength and maneuverability required for expedition cruising.

The new renderings highlight the luxurious design of Silver Cloud's public spaces including La Terrazza, The Restaurant, Observation Lounge, Panorama Lounge, and Venetian Lounge. The extensive refurbishment will include the creation of the Observation lounge, new teak flooring, upholstery and lighting in La Terrazza and new carpet and upholstery in The Restaurant. Silver Cloud will also feature a new gym with Technogym equipment.

In addition to interior updates, the multi-million dollar refurbishment will strengthen Silver Cloud's hull enabling her to explore polar waters. Silver Cloud's transition to an ice-class vessel will bring expedition guests the luxury, style and comfort synonymous with Silversea's classic ships. A guest capacity of 260 in non-polar regions and just 200 in polar regions means that guests will enjoy the highest levels of personalised and attentive service on board. The limited capacity in polar regions also means that all guests can disembark at the same time to explore each region.

"As the first ship in our fleet, Silver Cloud has a special place in Silversea's history, and we're delighted to reveal further details of her refurbishment. We look forward to welcoming guests aboard to experienceSilver Cloud's luxurious interiors as well as her incredible itineraries later this year," said Barbara Muckermann, Chief Marketing Officer at Silversea Cruises.

When Silver Cloud was launched in 1994 by Antonio Lefebvre, it set a new standard in luxury cruising. His son, Manfredi Lefebvre became chairman of Silversea in 2001 and has since expanded the fleet from four to eight vessels with a ninth currently under construction. The expansion has included the introduction of expedition cruising with the launch of Silver Explorer in 2008.

Silver Cloud will also have a team of up to 19 dedicated experts on hand to ensure guests leave with the best experiences from their voyages, whether they are the sights, the sounds, the history or the stories. Daily presentations and lectures by experts in the state-of-the-art theatre will also be streamed live to all suites.

For a copy of the Silver Cloud brochure or for more information contact your travel professional or Silversea Cruises on +61 2 9255 0600 or 1300 306 872 (Australia) or 0800 701 427 (New Zealand), or visit www.silversea.com