New dining options and upgraded cabins greet passengers on Mediterranean cruises

Passenger sailing on  Princess Cruises’ Crown Princess this summer will be delighted and surprised by her recent facelift that includes additional culinary options and upgrades in cabins, public rooms and the Lotus Spa.

The ship debuted in 2006 and a dozen years later it was time for a facelift.  One of the most noticeable changes is the new signature logo on her bow, but of more interest to passengers will be the increased array of dining options, including: 

I've been waiting to see what Royal Caribbean was cooking up when it announced plans to add some "wow" factor to its older ships, and now we have a good idea: the Sky Pad, called "the first virtual reality bungee trampoline experience at sea."

Royal has put together a fun little 30-second video about the installation of Sky Pad on its 10-year-old Independence of the Seas taking place this month.

Oct. 30, 2019, marks the beginning of Carnival Journeys with the start of a 24-day trans-Pacific crossing on Carnival Splendor from Long Beach, Calif., to Singapore.  The cruise is not only the lengthiest single voyage the line has ever offered but the first time Carnival has ever sent a ship to Guam, Vietnam and Malaysia on a North American departure.

Passengers on this trip will be offered a variety of activities that include sessions on photography, cooking, arts and crafts and celestial navigation, along with a 1980s-themed Throwback Sea Day. 

This is definitely designed for folks who enjoy long cruises that visit many ports. On Jan. 5, 2020, Pacific Princess will set out on a 111-day voyage from Ft. Lauderdale, stopping in Los Angeles to pick up more guests on Jan. 20. 

The 670-passenger Pacific Princess is the perfect size if you are not a fan of mega-ships. Short segments will be offered for those who don’t have the time, money or inclination to do the whole enchilada.

Wow! I just got an update from Celebrity Cruises about Celebrity Edge, the cutting-edge ship set to debut in November. The update was all about dining options, one of my favorite topics, and all the cuisines, spices and tools under the direction of Michelin-starred chef Cornelius Gallagher.

They even sent heady cooking spices, a spoon, a denim apron, cake tester, palette knife and Swiss peeler to show how the chef works. Only wish they’d sent along the chef to cook for us.

Finally! A cruise line has come to its cyber senses and is providing all passengers with unlimited Wi-Fi. Super luxe Silversea just made the announcement that will bring cheers from just about everybody booked on one of its spiffy ships.

Beginning in April, all passengers on Silversea's nine luxury ships will be hooked up with Internet access at no extra charge.

Holland America has released details of its next ship, Nieuw Statendam, which is set to sail in December 2018. The newest entry to the line's Pinnacle class, the vessel will not only house eight more staterooms than sister ship Koningsdam but she will be reconfigured from top to bottom with jaw-dropping features such as a redesigned 1,390-square-foot Pinnacle Suite — the largest on the ship — and 32 reconfigured Family Staterooms that can house five people.

Nieuw Statendam will continue to offer all stateroom hallmarks introduced on Koningsdam, including accommodations for solo travelers as well as a wider range of suite configurations. There will be five additional ocean view cabins and three more interior ones along with 851 staterooms with balconies.

The suite life on Nieuw Statendam

Forty-three Neptune Suites and two Neptune Spa Suites will be available to passengers who enjoy spacious accommodation — they range from 465 to 855 square feet. Guests in these accommodations as well as the Pinnacle Suite have access to the exclusive Neptune Lounge, a private place to relax, socialize with other suite guests and enjoy the personalized service of a concierge.

Nieuw Statendam’s Neptune Lounge has been enlarged to allow for additional seating and more windows, giving a feeling of expanded openness. The fleetwide lounges provide work tables, a large-screen television, a library, sofas and chairs, and complimentary refreshments throughout the day.

Courtesy of Holland America LineThe Neptune Lounge, shown on sister ship Koningsdam, is being expanded on Nieuw Statendam.

Fourteen Signature Suites span up to 400 square feet in size, and the 104 Vista Suites range from 260 to 356 square feet. Signature and Vista suite guests receive many special amenities, including oversize bath towels, fresh flowers, a pillow menu, mini bar and one-touch phone concierge service. 

Those looking for an extra dose of comfort can book a Spa Suite or Verandah Spa, Outside Spa or Inside Spa stateroom, located near the Greenhouse Spa & Salon. These rooms come with yoga mats for use during the voyage and an iPod docking station.

Stateroom extras  include Holland America Line’s signature Mariner's Dream bed with finely woven cotton linens; plush bathrobes for use during the voyage; a premium massage showerhead; flat-panel TV with video-on-demand; mini fridge; complimentary fresh fruit on request; and fragrant soaps, lotions, shampoo and other bath amenities from Elemis Aromapure.

Nieuw Statendam details

Historians might recall that Holland America Line’s first ship to be called Statendam sailed in 1898. The new build will  be the sixth ship in the company’s history to carry the name. In combining the Dutch word for "new" with the classic "Statendam," Holland America Line celebrates the company’s past, present and future.

Want to cruise on Nieuw Statendam?

As always, if you're interested in a cruise on Nieuw Statendam or just want more info, you can't do better than talking with a travel advocate in Cruiseable's Business Department. Send them an email or call toll-free at 1-877-322-3773.

Are you a meeting planner or executive responsible for organizing business trips for your corporation? 

Celebrity Cruises, the premium cruise line catering to adults, has just announced to Cruiseable a new special package to entice Incentive and Meeting Groups to book with Celebrity. 

Here are the details of the special offer:

• A free cocktail party on board for all attendees
• A free 90-minute Internet package for each participant's stateroom
• A free classic beverage package for all attendees

She’s the queen of hip hop, a TV and movie actress, author, record company president and entrepreneur. And now Queen Latifah can add godmother to her royal portfolio.

It's a very cool choice. As Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy explains: ”With her fun-loving spirit and positive, can-do attitude, Queen Latifah embodies our brand and knows how to ‘Choose Fun’ in everything she does. ... Knowing that she is a long-time supporter of St. Jude and has performed and won ‘Lip Sync Battle’ made her the ideal candidate to serve as godmother to our newest ship.”

When the now 540-passenger Silver Spirit (see JD's review) sails again on May 6, 2018, she will be 49 feet longer and even more attractive. Small luxury ship operator Silversea is making over the ship adding 34 new luxury suites, as well as a Balsorano suite.

Each of the accommodations will be adorned with decorative items that are of personal value to Silversea’s chairman, Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio di Balsorano de Clunieres. The best existing suites on Silver Spirit will grow in their appeal with the addition of handmade Savoir mattresses, horse hair toppers and new HD screens for guests’ comfort.

The Spirit, which debuted in 2009, goes into dry dock at Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Italy, on March 5, where she will remain until May 1. She will undergo large-scale refurbishment works, which will include the insertion of a prebuilt 15-meter-long (49-feet-long) segment into the ship’s midsection, making her the first luxury ship to be lengthened in this manner.

Michel Verdure / Courtesy of Silversea CruisesAboard Silver Spirit, La Terrazza offers Italian dishes with the freshest ingredients. It's one of four existing restaurants on board getting an upgrade.

With the aim of augmenting the onboard experience for Silversea guests, the project will dramatically enhance each of the ship’s public spaces with beautiful interior design, taking inspiration from the cruise line’s flagship vessel, Silver Muse, which was delivered by Fincantieri in April last year.

"Based on the wonderful feedback from guests sailing aboard our beautiful Silver Muse, we believe the comprehensive makeover we have planned for Silver Spirit will enrich the onboard experience and be equally appreciated by guests. They will see many of Silver Muse's innovations and elevated comforts embodied by our reimagined Silver Spirit," says Christian Sauleau, executive vice president of fleet operations for Silversea.

Music to my ears is that Silversea will be enlarging the pool deck and adding a much-needed new health and fitness center (the old one is too small) along with more spa facilities. The casino will also get a transformation. 

They will also be following in the wake of the Silver Muse’s added culinary concepts with more dining options such as  Atlantide, Indochine, Spaccanapoli and Silver Note, which will be installed to complement the existing Seishin, La Dame, The Grill and La Terrazza – each of which will undergo refurbishment. Inspired by guest feedback, menus will be altered and refined across the ship’s prevailing restaurants.

New public spaces inspired by Italian heritage

New public spaces will elevate the overall comfort of the ship such as the Arts Café, an innovative, modern, multi-faceted area on deck 8 that will provide a relaxed setting for readers and tea/coffee lovers. The Arts Café will display exhibitions and performances.

Inspired by Silversea’s Italian heritage, Dolce Vita will occupy pride of place on Silver Spirit. It will be an elegant venue in which sophisticated travelers will gather, interact and make friends. Cool cocktails will provide the perfect accompaniments to the smooth sound of live piano. Guests also stand to benefit from the installation of the Zagara spa — a blissful sanctuary that proved to be extremely popular on Silver Muse — and a fitness center that will boast state-of-the-art facilities.

On May 6, Silver Spirit will go back into service with a seven-day cruise between Civitavecchia (Rome) and Barcelona, calling at Porto-Vecchio, Corsica; Livorno; Portofino; Cannes and Marseilles. Fares start from $4,900 per person with special savings for those bookings made before March 31.

View the full itinerary.

Silversea offers a fleet of small luxury vessels that provide seamless service, fine cuisine, an uptown atmosphere and fares that include gratuities, all beverage from Champagne and beyond and butlers to tend to the needs of its discerning passengers in all staterooms.

Want to sail on Silver Spirit?

As always, if you're interested in a cruise on Silver Spirit, you can't do better than talking with a travel advocate in Cruiseable's Business Department. Send them an email or call toll-free at 1-877-322-3773.

While just sailing in the lap of luxury on any Silversea vessel is a trip in itself—with personal butlers, fine food, attractive suite-size accommodations, gratuities, WiFi and wine and spirits all included in the fare—being able to enjoy ballet and opera takes the experience to another level.

Silversea has announced it's offering a superb suite of theme cruises called Enriched Voyages, featuring opera performances by the world-renowned Accademia Teatro alla Scala and classic ballet recitals by soloists from such legendary companies as the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia. Along with lectures and Q&A sessions, guests will have the chance to mingle with the artists at a signature cocktail party.

Love food and cruising and interested in both? Holland America Line is offering three culinary cruises to whet your appetite.

The cruise line has announced its next round of voyages:

• a seven-day Alaska Inside Passage cruise on Westerdam, departing May 6, 2018
• a 14-day Northern Isles on Zuiderdam, departing July 7, 2018
• a seven-day "Canada & New England Discovery" on Veendam, departing Sept. 22, 2018.