6 October 2009 – As part of her Autumn Colours voyage, which features calls through the New England and Canada coasts, Cunard’s Queen Victoria made her inaugural visits to the Canadian ports of Halifax on Friday, 2 October, and Québec City on Sunday, 4 October. The ship will call on St. John’s, Newfoundland, before returning to Southampton on October 12.

“Cunard prides itself on honouring its history and legacy, so it was a great privilege for me to bring Queen Victoria, Cunard’s newest queen, across the Atlantic and present her to the homeland of our company’s founder,” said the ship’s Master,

Upon arrival to Halifax, Queen Victoria toured the harbour, providing grand viewing opportunities for the city’s residents. As she docked, she was welcomed by the famed 78th Highlanders Pipe Band, a performance group from the Halifax Citadel Regimental Association.

A number of dignitaries attended the onboard events commemorating Queen Victoria’s arrival, including Percy Paris, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage for Nova Scotia; David Hendsbee, Deputy Mayor, Halifax Regional Municipality; Robert Brooks, Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture & Heritage; John Langley, Cunard Steamship Society; Margaret Wittingham-Lamont, Mission to Seafarers; Mark MacDonald, Chair, Halifax Port Authority; Karen Oldfield, President and CEO, Halifax Port Authority; and David Danskin, Halifax Citadel National Site.

To honour Queen Victoria’s maiden call to Halifax, the Halifax Citadel Regimental Association performed a musical number composed especially for the occasion.

To celebrate Queen Victoria’s arrival into Québec City, the Port of Québec hosted a charity lunch onboard, benefiting the local Fondation des Hôpitaux de Enfant-Jésus-Saint-Sacrement. Onboard to welcome the liner into the city were Ross Gaudrealt, President and CEO, Port of Québec; Martin Lachance, Director, Leisure and Medias, Québec Tourism Office; and James Murphy, General Manager, Ramsey Greig & Co. Limited. The celebration continued into today, as Queen Victoria docked overnight in the Port of Québec

For more information and to book a voyage aboard Queen Victoria or flagship Queen Mary 2, call Leslie at 866-912-7245.

The new Carnival Dream will take seagoing technology to an entirely new level with the introduction of the FunHub, a comprehensive shipboard intranet portal featuring the cruise industry’s first on-board social network, along with access to a wide variety of information on the ship’s services, facilities and daily activities. The 130,000-ton vessel, Carnival’s largest ship, is set to debut Sept. 21.

Access to the FunHub will be available via 36 state-of-the-art stations located on decks 3, 4 and 5, including 12 within Ocean Plaza, Carnival Dream’s spectacular indoor/outdoor café and entertainment venue. The FunHub locations will provide guests with free and convenient access to an informative ship-specific intranet portal, and an exclusive shipboard social network, both of which will be available on a 24/7 basis.  Guests may also access the sites via their personal laptops or via 10-inch netbooks which are available for rent and can be used anywhere on board.  

Carnival Dream’s on-board social network mirrors the experience one finds on other social networking sites.  Guests can create a personal profile and use the application to meet and interact with others on board, send and receive private messages, create groups based on interests, and invite friends to attend shows or participate in on-board events. Guests can also create their own private or public discussion group, inviting others in their traveling party or friends they meet on board to participate.

Designed as a convenient resource for wide-ranging information specific to the Carnival Dream, the intranet portal details the ship’s numerous on-board activities, including entertainment options, daily events and youth programs. Carnival Dream’s extensive food and beverage offerings are showcased with sample menus, hours of operation and more. A filtering application is available to assist guests in planning their day. The portal also includes weather updates for that day and the next port of call; the latest news and sports scores; biographies of key shipboard personnel; ship and cruise director announcements; fun, interactive polls; helpful three-dimensional ship maps, and a frequently asked questions section.

 A year-long collaboration involving Carnival’s hotel operations, marketing, IT and guest experience departments, the Carnival Dream’s on-board social network and intranet portal are available on any guest computer or Wi-Fi enabled device free of charge. Internet access to sites outside the FunHub also is available through all FunHub locations. Netbooks are available free of charge when purchasing a special Internet package on board. Cell phone service, along with bow-to-stern wireless access where guests can check e-mail and surf the Web from any shipboard location, including their staterooms, will be available, as well.

To showcase its newest and largest ship, Carnival has created a new micro-site at carnival.com/dream with exclusive images, video, interviews and blogs highlighting the ship’s many on-board innovations and features.

EXCITING NEWS:  Royal Caribbean Fans!  We just announced an exciting and exclusive MEGA SALE. To celebrate Cruise Planners 15^th anniversary, WE ARE PICKING UP THE TAB FOR GRATUITIES (for the first two passengers in each stateroom) on all cruises booked from June 22 through June 29, 2009 that sail from July 1 to December 31, 2009.   And if that isn’t impressive enough, all deposits on these cruises will be reduced by 50%.  FREE GRATUITIES AND REDUCED DEPOSITS!  this means you can reserve your dream cruise for a fraction of the normal cost! This incrdible offer on every Royal Caribbean sailing from July 1 to December 31, 2009 is ONLY AVAILABLE FROM CRUISE PLANNERS!

But wait, there's more!  We are also offering onboard credits and reduced fares on more than 100 Royal Caribbean departures for the summer and fall cruise season.

LOS ANGELES, April 23, 2009 - With the most picturesque and architecturally significant destinations as a backdrop, Crystal Cruises is introducing Photography Experiences of Discovery theme programming on two Mediterranean cruises this summer and fall. During a series of workshops, renowned guest photographers will teach guests valuable techniques to effectively and artistically capture their vacation experiences.

"The rich destinations of Crystal's Mediterranean itineraries offer the most breathtaking scenery and one photo op after another," says Bret Bullock, Crystal's vice president, entertainment. "With the guidance of professionals, Crystal guests can translate their travel experiences into memorable photographs they'll treasure for a lifetime."

The Photography cruises will feature the expertise of:

June 2 - Lisbon to Venice

• Neil Leifer - World renowned photographer and documentary filmmaker, best known for his photos of Muhammad Ali and other greats for Sports Illustrated, will give insight into his greatest works and recent films;

• Fred Plotkin - Expert on Mediterranean arts and culture will lecture on the region's most famed photographers: Robert Capa, Cornell Capa, Sebastiao Salgado; and

• Sophocles Alexiou - Master photographer and three-time winner of the prestigious Kodak Gold award and the London Portrait Group trophy, will offer private portrait sessions with guests. Selected images from these portrait sessions will be presented in a hand-crafted, custom-bound album.

November 1 - Barcelona to Lisbon

• Theresa Airey - Internationally acclaimed photographer best known for her skill in restoration and integration of traditional printmaking and digital imagery, will share tips on seeing photographically, expanding creativity and sharpening visual perception; and

• Simon John - Master Photographer and part of a select group of professional photographers who have won 10 Kodak Gold awards for excellence in portraiture, as well as the prestigious UK's Face 2000 millennium portrait competition, will also hold private portrait sessions with guests.

Additionally, the Photography Experiences of Discovery cruises will feature expanded classes and instruction on photo editing offered through Crystal's exclusive Computer University@Sea.

Call 866-912-7245 for more information.

The Obama administration is proposing to limit the size of cruise ships that sail in Antarctica and the number of passengers they bring ashore. The Associated Press reports that U.S. officials will suggest amending the Antarctica treaty at a conference that starts today, April 6, in Baltimore. The U.S. proposal provided to AP says the plan would “minimize the likelihood of marine oil spills” and “ensure that tourism is conducted in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.” The proposal is to bar ships with more than 500 passengers from Antarctica landing sites, restrict landings to one vessel at a time per site and limit passengers on shore to 100 at a time.

MIAMI – April 3, 2009 – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) today revealed another industry first to debut on its next generation of Freestyle Cruising ship, Norwegian Epic, which will include an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea -- The Epic Plunge.  The line also unveiled seven decks of Freestyle Family Fun with highlights including a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock climbing wall and the first ever repelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests to engage in eight different athletic activities; as well as three separate kids’ and teen activity areas and the first squash court at sea.  In addition, Norwegian revealed the next generation of Freestyle Dining with 14 restaurant choices – the most at sea – and 18 bars and lounges.     

• Taste: Located in the ship’s atrium on Deck 5, Taste’s décor blends off-white, free-form plastered walls with European retro-chic mixed with brick details and floor to ceiling velvet curtains. Taste will serve a selection of traditional and contemporary cuisine.
• The Manhattan Room: Reminiscent of an elegant art deco supper club, The Manhattan Room features a dance floor as its focal point and will offer live music and dancing in the evening. The two-story high restaurant on Deck 6 features floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows looking aft.  The cuisine reflects the elegant and romantic nature of the room.

• Cagney’s Steakhouse & Churrascaria: Norwegian’s traditional American steakhouse takes on a new twist with the addition of Argentinean churrasco.  In addition to mouth-watering steaks, guests will be able to sample a variety of skewered meats presented by tableside passadors.  Another new addition is a large, centrally located salad bar.
• La Cucina: This Tuscan-style eatery will serve regional Italian specialties including pizza, pasta and steak, chicken and fish dishes.  The traditional Italian décor reflects two distinct areas: a Tuscan farm home and an Italian courtyard, where a large olive tree with hanging lanterns is the centerpiece, open to Café Jardin above.
• Le Bistro: Norwegian’s upscale bistro will serve classic French cuisine with an American flair.  This elegant dining establishment surrounds guests with contemporary and traditional paintings and sculptures, making guests feel as if they were dining in an art museum. 
• Shanghai’s: This new addition to Norwegian’s specialty dining options will serve a delicious mix of Chinese dishes and noodle bar specialties.  The décor reflects Old Shanghai in the 1930s and is reminiscent of the China Club in Hong Kong.  There will be an open kitchen preparing traditional Chinese cuisine, noodles, wok fried dishes and dim sum. 
• Wasabi: This expansive sushi and sake bar will serve the freshest sushi, sashimi and Japanese Yakitori dishes. Featuring modern décor and clean lines, Wasabi is located outside the Teppanyaki restaurant. 
• Teppanyaki: As the largest Teppanyaki restaurant at sea with 115 seats, this expanded restaurant will feature up to 24 knife-wielding chefs cooking exhibition-style Japanese cuisine on flat top grills. Guests will be amazed by the masterful chefs who demonstrate their skills slicing and dicing while creating an appetizing meal.
• O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill: This classic neighborhood sports bar and restaurant will serve American favorites and comfort food and is open 24 hours. The atrium’s two-story high screen will be visible from inside the restaurant and additional flat screen televisions will show sporting events, while guests enjoy their own activities, including three lanes of bowling, dart boards, pool tables, foosball and arcade games.
• The Epic Club and Courtyard Grill: Located high atop the ship in The Villas complex, this modern and elegant restaurant is reserved exclusively for Norwegian Epic’s suite and villa guests.  The décor reflects a private club ambiance with contemporary and modern furnishings, and a large wine display, dotted with glass sculptures and pearl drapes.  The Courtyard Grill is the more casual, outdoor area of the restaurant serving Villas guests for breakfast and lunch.
• To Be Announced: In addition to the above, there is also one more Norwegian Epic restaurant which will be announced at the next reveal in May. 

Cruise Planners has been awarded the prestigious American Express Travel Representative Excellence Award. The 2008 award is the fifth such honor in as many years for Cruise Planners, home to more than 700+ home-based travel professionals.

American Express Travel Representative Excellence Awards honor the achievements of Representative Travel Network member agencies that attain superior sales results with the highest year-over-year sales growth.

“It’s always nice to win, of course, but our extra special relationship with American Express puts this award above the rest,” said Michelle Fee, CEO of Cruise Planners/American Express. “Winning five years in a row truly reflects the sustained excellence that our staff and agents exhibit every day toward achieving success even in these trying economic times.”

The 2008 American Express Travel Representative Excellence Award is the latest in a series of honors recently won by Cruise Planners/American Express, including:

• Royal Caribbean International Homebased Partner of the Year (2007 & 2008)
• Globus Top “Premier” Travel Partner Award (February 2009)
• Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500® ~ 6th straight #1 cruise agency ranking (January 2009)
• Travel Impressions/American Express Vacations Globe Award (January 2009) • NCL’s President’s Elite Award ~7th straight year (2008)
• Travel Weekly Silver Magellan Award (2008)
• Carnival’s Pinnacle Club (2008)