Cruising. A family thing!

As Royal Caribbeans’ Independence of the Seas arrival into Southampton on Wednesday coincided with the launching of P&O Cruises’ huge family-friendly ship Ventura, it emerged that 10% of all cruise passengers were families. This trend follows suit to what has been happening in the US cruise market for a number of years.

With more and more cruise departures from UK ports parents have begun to realize that there is a stress-free alternative to spending hours in an airport before embarking on a plane journey and transfer which in some cases takes almost a full day before they reach their destination.

As bigger and better ships are being produced there are many more kids facilities available on board such as ice-skating rinks, body-boarding, wall climbing, computer rooms and games rooms plus for the tots there are crèches and baby sitting services. Parents can therefore have quality time to themselves without worrying about what their kids are doing as all of the kids’ facilities are manned by ships representatives.

Food is always available with numerous fast-food outlets in addition to the more formal main restaurants although on a number of cruise ships even these have an informal option.

There are more family accommodations on the newer ships than ever before plus many older cruise ships are going through huge re-fits as cruising becomes more family orientated.

So family cruising is on the up simply because now there is more choice than ever before, there is more to do and it offers fantastic value for money.

MSC Cruises to South Africa

MSC Cruises’ ships MSC Rhapsody and MSC Melody are heading to South Africa.

MSC Rhapsody will cruise round-trip from Durban on the 16th & 27th December. Both of these Indian Ocean cruises are of 11 night duration with the first cruise stopping for 2 days in both Madagascar and Mauritius and spending Christmas cruising the Indian Ocean and the second cruise spending New Years Eve in Pointe des Gaiets- Reunion Island and 2 days in Mauritius.

A 14 day itinerary from Durban is also scheduled for the 12th January 2009 with the MSC Rhapsody calling at Port Louis-Mauritius and stopping for 2 days in Port Victoria-Seychelles before calling at the small Indian Ocean Island of Nosy Be which lies to the north of Madagascar.

MSC Melody will cruise from Genoa in October to Port Said, Egypt and will transit the Suez Canal before cruising the Indian Ocean to the Seychelles and Mauritius before arriving in Durban 18th November (21 days).

The return cruise from Durban will be on 17th April before arriving in Genoa 8th May. An optional 2night pre-cruise safari is available for the return cruise.

Ocean Village Cruises - the Bear Facts.

Paddington the well travelled bear, is to join Ocean Village and Ocean Village II, heading out into Mediterranean cruise land this summer.

The loveable little bear has enthralled children since he came to London by ship from Peru in 1958, and now 50 years later he’s setting sail again with the Ocean Village fleet.

Paddington will be making regular appearances at Ocean Village’s children’s club ‘Base Camp’ where photo opportunities will be more than welcome for kids and the young at heart. Who, after all, would miss the chance to have tea and marmalade with Paddington Bear?

There have been 70 Paddington Bear books, translated into 30 languages with a distribution of 30 million copies throughout the world.

Another children’s much loved character, Bagpuss stowed away aboard the Ocean Village ships last year, and became a firm favourite.

Ocean Village is committed to providing good quality family cruise holidays, enjoyable for kids and adults alike.

Children’s facilities are already brimming with excitement on board the Ocean Village fleet of cruise ships, with Base Camp and the teenage Hideout Zone, a night nursery and qualified youth team. SEGA Village on Ocean Village II will provide gaming fun and an unforgettable holiday for children and young teens so mum and dad can relax. Ocean Village has got to be the choice for your family cruise holiday.

During Paddington Bear’s first Caribbean cruise season, 2008/09 Ocean Village is offering free child places on Ocean Village and Ocean Village II for one or two kids when they share with two adults paying the full fare – flights included. This offer does not include cruises over Christmas, New Year and other public holidays and is subject of availability, the offer ends on 31st May 2008.

Climb Aboard Ocean Village II with Sonic the Hedgehog

Ocean Village, part of Carnival Cruise Lines, has excitedly ventured into the world of Sonic the Hedgehog, welcoming SEGA on board its second cruise ship, Ocean Village II, to launch a unique entertainment village.

SEGA Village will amuse and enthral a new generation of kids on Ocean Village II, after the concept was withdrawn from Europe and the UK a few years ago.

Sonic the Hedgehog and other much loved SEGA games, together with the newly created After Burner Climax – a fighter jet simulator – and Let’s Go Jungle – a jungle jeep simulator – will be included onboard Ocean Village II.

The fully licensed entertainment and amusement centre has been a joint development by SEGA and Ocean Village, creating 19 arcade style games in the SEGA Village and 6 more games in the teenage area, ‘The Attic’ on board Ocean Village II.

In the Ocean Village II SEGA Village, kids will have chance to dance their way into their own favourite sensational music video, using the ‘Let me Dance’ booth, which produces the finished recording onto a CD.

Ocean Village, once again, comes up with the goods - another relief for parents!

Diamond Anniversary for Costa Cruises

Costa cruises celebrate their 60th year of exciting fun packed cruising during 2008.
The twelve ships in Costa’s fleet will call at 141 ports in 68 countries on 423 sailings covering 109 itineraries.
To celebrate this occasion Costa is promoting twelve cruises with an extra 20% discount, all available from January to September 2008. Members of the CostClub will also receive an exclusive 5% Frequent Guest discount.
The Great Anniversary Cruise which takes place on November 11th has proved to be so popular, Costa has added two more Anniversary Cruises on 26th October and 3rd November 2008
All three, 8 night cruises will follow the same itinerary, beginning in Savona (Italy) and travelling to Malaga, Cadiz, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Alicante, Barcelona and returning to Savona.
Special features of the cruises will include celebratory galas, music, games, entertainment, dancing and special guests. On board will be eminent captains from the Costa fleet.

New smoking policy

Smoking on suite and stateroom balconies onboard Crystal Cruises award winning luxury cruise ships Symphony and Serenity is to be prohibited as from 25th may 2008 on the former and 7th may 2008 on the latter.

Crystals’ cruise ships already have most areas as no smoking with the few exceptions being some tables in the bars, private accommodations and, for cigar and pipe smokers, the Connoisseur Club and most open deck spaces.

CRUISE SHIP HEALTH ISSUES.WHO'S TO BLAME?

RECENT NEWS REGARDING THE STOMACH BUG NOROVIRUS HAS CAUSED CONCERNS FOR MANY PEOPLE WONDERING,NOT WHETHER THEY WILL CATCH IT,BUT MORE WHEN.HOWEVER THIS NEWS SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE. I HAVE BEEN ON A NUMBER OF CRUISE HOLIDAYS AND,MORE OFTEN THAN NOT,THERE IS AT LEAST ONE CABIN WITH A 'NO GO' STICKER ON THE DOOR DUE TO THE OCCUPANTS HAVING A 'TUMMY BUG' AND ARE BASICALLY IN QUARANTINE.

THE FACT THAT MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE A WEEK ARE GOING DOWN WITH THE VIRUS IS, TO SAY THE LEAST, ALARMING BUT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT 90% (MY ESTIMATE) OF PEOPLE THAT USE TOILETS NEVER WASH THEIR HANDS AFTER THEY HAVE FINISHED IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A SURPRISE. I SEE IT EVERYTIME I VISIT A PUB LOO AND IT MAKES ME CRINGE. I END UP GETTING A PAPER TOWEL TO PUT ROUND THE DOOR HANDLE BECAUSE OF PEOPLE WITH NO REGARD FOR OTHERS HEALTH AND THEIR OWN HYGIENE.THEY THEN GO AND DRINK OUT OF A GLASS.

IS THERE ANY WONDER THAT THESE ILLNESSES OCCURR AND ESPECIALLY IN THE CONFINES OF A CRUISE SHIP?

CRUISE PASSENGERS REFUNDED

FOLLOWING THE NEWS EARLIER THIS WEEK ABOUT THE COLLISION BETWEEN MS FRAM AND AN ICEBERG, A COMPENSATION AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED FOR THOSE CRUISE PASSENGERS AFFECTED BY THE ACCIDENT.

THOSE GUESTS WHOSE CRUISE WAS CUT SHORT ARE TO RECEIVE A 50% REFUND OF THE FARE PAID PLUS THEY WILL RECEIVE A VOUCHER OFFERING A CONDITIONAL 30% DISCOUNT OFF ANY FUTURE HURTIGRUTEN SAILING. THE CONDITIONS ARE THAT THEY MUST BOOK BY APRIL 1 2008 AND IS FOR 2008-2009 BROCHURED EXPEDITION CRUISES.

AS THE CRUISE SCHEDULED TO DEPART JANUARY 2 2008 HAS ALSO BEEN CANCELLED,THE 240 AFFECTED PASSENGERS WILL RECEIVE A FULL REFUND OF ALL MONIES PAID PLUS A VOUCHER WORTH 50% OFF A FUTURE SAILING WITH THE SAME CONDITIONS AS THOSE ON THE CANCELLED CRUISE.