Uniworld Antoinette christening

Tom Baumann, President of Cruise Specialists, recently attended the christening of Uniworld’s new 164-passenger S.S. Antoinette pierside in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

“The Antoinette is absolutely without a doubt the most incredible ship ever built for river cruising,” described Baumann.  “If you are looking for an upscale river cruise and truly a ‘boutique’ experience, then you must try a Uniworld cruise.  Not only is the ship absolutely incredible, but the service and food was fantastic!  There is an infinity pool, a gym, spa treatment rooms, a movie theater, two lounges, two restaurants, a 24 hour specialty coffee and tea bar and more.”

Crystal Serenity

Any traveler who has experienced the luxurious ambiance and energy of a Crystal cruise will sure to be delighted at the exquisite service and pampering they will receive on the Crystal world cruise 2012.  For the first time, the Crystal world cruise 2012 on the Crystal Serenity will conveniently sail roundtrip from Los Angeles on their “Epic Islands & Empires” journey at sea.

Disney Dream Celebration

The Ceremony
Tom Baumann, President of Cruise Specialists, recently had the opportunity to attend the christening and inaugural sailing of the new Disney Dream cruise ship.  The celebration and spectacular show took place in Port Canaveral, Florida at the Disney Cruise Line Terminal and featured classic Disney music, dancers, fireworks, and their beloved Disney characters.

Tom & Deann Baumann

Boarding the ship at Venice shipyard where the ms Nieuw Amsterdam was built and sailing to the docks in Venice was an incredible experience.  The captain took the ship out into open waters and then before returning to the docks in Venice, sailed the ship down the Grand Canal, right past St. Marks square…it was truly a magical moment to be a part of. 

Celebration aboard Sojourn

The fanfare all began with a wonderful cocktail reception where Pam Conover, the President of Seabourn introduced the Seabourn Sojourn’s godmother, Twiggy.  Twiggy then “pushed the button” to have the customary bottle of champagne break against the side of the ship, thus christening the ship. 

Here’s a link to a story that provides more details on the  float-out of Oceania’s new 65,000-ton Marina. There are some great pictures at the bottom of this article that give you a true sense of the layout of this exciting new ship.

http://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/sneak-peek-marina-oceanias-new-build-debuts-genoa-20056

Well, what a surprise! On a gorgeous, sunny day, Bob Binder, President of Oceania Cruises, announced at the Marina naming ceremony at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Genoa, that “the building of our new ship will begin very shortly…..in 10 minutes!”

Chairman and CEO, Frank Del Rio, added, “there’s only one thing better than one new ship and that is two new ships.”

We are now on our way to another part of the yard to watch the steel get cut for the Marina’s new sister, Riviera!

MSNBC wrote a great article about the new ships coming out in 2010. At Cruise Specialists, we are especially excited about the launching of the Seabourn Sojourn in June of 2010.

Enjoy

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34482841/ns/travel-cruising/

The Seabourn Odyssey carries 450 passengers and has a crew to guest ratio of nearly 1:1.3….so with that kind of personnel taking care of guests, they are sure to meet and exceed their historic service standards, which ultimately is what makes or breaks a voyage experience.  However, the so called “hardware” is impressive as well.  There are a handful of innovative design features which passengers will find refreshing and fun.