Archive for the 'Princess Cruises' Category

The flamboyant fitness instructor from British television, Mr. Motivator, will be sailing with the Ruby Princess this week, part of his ongoing effort to promote a free 28-day summer fitness program.

Known for his bright fitness gear, Mr. Motivator is a U.K. television star for his appearances on the the morning program GMTV, and he is currently signing people up for his 28-day diet, called Mr. Motivator’s Bikini Diet. Starting June 12, he will be on the Ruby Princess during its 12-night Greek Isles and Mediterranean cruise, hosting on-deck workouts with Australian dancer Deanne Barry.  Read more... (202 words, estimated 48 secs reading time)

The cruise era of assigned tables and seating times appears to have run its course and is fast being eclipsed by one of the industry’s most attractive recent innovations: alternative eateries.

Food. Glorious food. A fundamental appeal of a cruise holiday, shipboard food has been consistently abundant since ships first started carrying passengers for leisure travel. Even when the ships offered little more than dolled-up mess halls, to which everyone flocked for one of two scheduled feedings, the fare was usually quite respectable and always plentiful.  Read more... (2802 words, 7 images, estimated 11:12 mins reading time)

Princess Cruises, which introduced the first of its eight top-deck Movies Under the Stars screens five years ago, is partnering with film critic Leonard Maltin to create discussion groups based on the movies that are shown during its cruises. Princess will showcase a Maltin-selected movie each month on all ships, and guests who want to participate can join the Leonard Maltin Movie Club to discuss the film. The movie club provides passengers the opportunity to join fellow film buffs to discuss specially selected motion pictures during their cruise. Also, the relationship with Maltin extends further. The new Leonard Maltin Movie Channel will show popular and classic movies in staterooms.

What do you want to do today? Where do you want to eat? On a big ship, these are legitimate questions that need to be answered because the choices are not limited to either/or.

The major cruise lines that have been unveiling and sailing larger and larger cruise ships for the past decade take pride in offering so many choices that, for instance, it takes a week to visit every restaurant or dining room for dinner.  Read more... (240 words, 1 image, estimated 58 secs reading time)

Alaska is celebrating its 50th year of statehood, and Princess Cruises will be working hard to help its guests appreciate all that the state has to offer. With ships arriving for the start of the Alaska cruise season last weekend, Princess is pulling back the curtain on a comprehensive effort to provide a rich Alaskan experience this summer whether on land or at sea.  Read more... (346 words, 1 image, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

Several years ago, I was touring a Holland America Line ship when I came upon a guest room that was undergoing refurbishment. I thought this odd, because the room did not appear to need updating. The furniture and carpet appeared to be new; the fixtures, polished and sparkling. My host told me that an elderly widower, who was going to spend an extended period of time living on the ship, had booked the vessel’s largest suite. She wanted it redecorated with carpeting of her choosing and furniture from her home. Money was no object to ensure the comforts of home.  Read more... (1001 words, 2 images, estimated 4:00 mins reading time)

Princess Cruises has grown increasingly exotic or, to put it more precisely, is offering more opportunities to cruise Tahiti while creating new Asia and Australia itineraries as part of its 2010-11 “exotics” program.

The Princess worldwide cruising program will touch all seven continents, and passengers will be able to explore the charm of the South Pacific with an extended series of sailings to romantic Tahiti and French Polynesia.  Read more... (408 words, 1 image, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

A neat seasonal twist on the idea of an abbreviated cruise getaway, Princess Cruises is offering two short three-day Caribbean itineraries aboard one of its newest ships, the Ruby Princess, just prior to Christmas this year. Replacing a scheduled wetdock for the ship that has been deemed unnecessary, the cruises will depart Fort Lauderdale and call at the line’s private island, Princess Cays. The cruises depart Monday, Dec. 14, and Thursday, Dec. 17. For a ship as new as the Ruby Princess, which made its debut last November, this type of short getaway is quite unusual as the cruise lines usually relegate their older ships to shorter cruises. Also, the seasonal timing is a unique opportunity because this is when demand for Caribbean cruises usually runs quite high.  Read more... (147 words, 1 image, estimated 35 secs reading time)

Six Princess Cruises ships will make 96 European departures next year as the premium line looks to add more variety. A total 130 ports will be visited, including seven new ones, for those of you who are collecting. These include: Iteá, which leads to Delphi’s archeological site in Greece; the largest of the Greek Ionian islands, Cephalonia (Argostoli); a Greek isle off the Turkish coast, Khios, noted for medieval villages and an eleventh century monastery; Eidfjord, a picturesque Norwegian village; Koper (Slovenia), gateway to the capital city of Ljublijana; and Nice (France), the French Riviera beach resort town near Monte Carlo and Cannes.

I’ve just been looking over a press release about all the good cruise values being offered. There’s two-for-one pricing, kids sail free, early-booking offers — and more.

Personally, I think it’s a great time to latch on to some of the bargains and plan a get-away for the spring or summer. Following is a sampling of the offerings. Check with your cruise consultant. He or she may have even better value offerings.  Read more... (669 words, estimated 2:41 mins reading time)