Crystal Cruises is planning festive Passover seders in 2010 as Crystal Serenity sails to Ashdod, Israel, and Crystal Symphony cruises New Zealand. In keeping with Jewish tradition, there will be a seder plate blessed by a rabbi, along with a participatory recitation of the Passover Haggadah, sing-a-longs and a four-course holiday feast.

Carnival Cruise Lines introduced a new television advertising campaign featuring three new spots that speak to the participatory “fun” available on a Carnival cruise. The new commercials, produced by Arnold Worldwide, retain the brand’s existing “Fun For All. All For Fun” tagline. Each spot features the song “Bang the Drum” by Todd Rundgren.

Norwegian Cruise Line has standardized its stateroom categories across the fleet starting with new bookings from April 2011. The inventory with new categorization will open for booking during the first quarter of 2010, making it easier for travel agents and guests to locate and book specialty staterooms, including aft-facing balconies and mini-suites, multi-occupancy family accommodations, and those staterooms which allow private courtyard access.

Norwegian Cruise Line has standardized its stateroom categories across the fleet starting with new bookings from April 2011. The inventory with new categorization will open for booking during the first quarter of 2010, making it easier for travel agents and guests to locate and book specialty staterooms, including aft-facing balconies and mini-suites, multi-occupancy family accommodations, and those staterooms which allow private courtyard access.

The Costa Group is spending 66 million euros on dry-dock refurbishment for four ships for its Costa and Iberocruceros brands. The most significant investment, worth of about 55 million euros, is being carried out on Iberocruceros’ Grand Holiday in the S. Giorgio shipyards in Genoa from December through April.

Holland America Line announced its Europe and Alaska cruise schedule for summer 2011, which increases sailings from the homeports of Dover, England, and Rotterdam, the Netherlands.