A new Cunard Queen was launched today at a lavish and quintessentially British ceremony in Southampton. With the immortal words, I name this ship..., Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, resplendent in head-to-toe blue, smashed a bottle against the hull of the 92,400-ton, 2,092-passenger Queen Elizabeth, triggering an explosion of red, white and blue streamers, and a surge of cheers from hundreds of VIP’s, media and travel industry honchos.
Paul Gauguin Cruises will host the 10th Annual Digital Photography Workshop Cruise, during which 20 photographers will spend two weeks capturing travel, nature and documentary images in the Marquesas, Tuamotus and Society Islands to be published in a fine arts book.
Princess Cruises will introduce 16 new shore excursion options for passengers for Caribbean and Panama Canal itineraries. The new tours are part of the approximately 550 shore excursion options available in 38 Caribbean ports during the season.
Broward County’s Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale will welcome an array of new ships, itineraries and passenger services during the 2010-11 cruise season. Port Everglades will welcome the second of the world’s largest cruise ships, Royal Caribbean International’s Allure of the Seas, the second Oasis-class cruise ship. The new ship will be named at its homeport, Port Everglades, and begin sailing every Sunday year-round on Dec. 5. In addition, four other newly built cruise ships will debut at Port Everglades this season.
Royal Caribbean International will organize a five-kilometer race in St. Maarten on Dec. 16 for guests sailing on Allure of the Seas’ Dec. 12 voyage. That seven-night Eastern Caribbean also will include port explorations through group fun runs, onboard seminars and lectures with high-profile athletes. Registration fee is $50 for adults and $35 for children who sign up onboard and in advance at www.RoyalCaribbean.com/Royal5K.
Celebrity Cruises is offering onboard credit on holiday cruises booked Oct. 5 to 7. The credit is up to $300 per stateroom on applicable sailings of seven nights or longer, or up to $200 per stateroom on eligible five-night cruises.