Cruise stakeholders in St Kitts and Nevis are looking forward to visits by the 77,000-gross-ton Celebrity Mercury during the 2009-2010 Cruise ship season. The 1,870-passenger Celebrity Mercury will make multiple calls to St Kitts’ Port Zante on 11-night; 12 and 15-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.

MSC Cruises’ Balcony Blowout promotion offers discounts of more than 60 percent on select Saturday departures of MSC Orchestra this winter when booked by Oct. 13.

MSC Cruises is celebrating the winter Caribbean season by offering a special value for Baby Boomers and Seniors. Boomers and Seniors can save at least 50 percent on the price of a memorable MSC Cruises Caribbean sailing and get even more value for their money when they take the kids/grandkids along for free with the line’s “Kids Sail Free” policy.

After successfully launching the first level of its Five-Star Academy for travel agents last month, Celebrity Cruises is introducing the second, or “Two-Star,” level today. Agents who have already completed the One-Star level that became available last month can now move on to the second phase of the multi-tiered program.

Five Holland America Line ships will soon undergo individual month-long dry-docks at a total cost of approximately $200 million. The most dramatic alterations during the latest Signature of Excellence enhancements will result in an additional 32 veranda staterooms added to the aft portion of each ship. In addition, 46 new lanai staterooms will allow guests direct access to the Lower Promenade Deck.

Carnival will operate a series of nine-day voyages to Quebec aboard the 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph in summer 2009. The cruises will operate roundtrip from New York on June 25, July 23 and Aug. 20. The cruise calls in Quebec City, Baie-Comeau and Havre St. Pierre and features a daylong cruise along the St. Lawrence River, home to whales and other marine life.