News from Buy The Sea for April '08
Greetings to all of you. This month we share news with you from RCCL, Silversea, Celebrity, Ponant and Princess. Additionally, I cannot stress enough what an incredible bargain it is to cruise in the Med now…the Euro is at an all time high of 1.57/USD. Unreal! If you can buy a cruise product in guaranteed US dollars through at least 2010, why not do it? Don’t pull your groups from the Med – keep sending them…just send them onboard a ship instead of putting them at a hotel. You’ll look like a hero!
Check it out. We were quoted in the March/April 2008 issue of Insurance and Financial Meetings Management Magazine! http://www.themeetingmagazines.com/index/Default.aspx?tabid=829
News from Royal Caribbean International:
Short opportunities are rare for Radiance class vessels and RCCL has an interesting and unique opportunity for Fall 2009 ... a THREE night sailing of Jewel of the Seas (2088 pax) r/t Miami November 6-9, 2009. They are offering a killer charter rate. Let us know if you have any interest in this one-of-a-kind sailing.
News from Silversea Cruises:
Silversea Cruises announced that its newest all-suite ship will be named Silver Spirit. Currently under construction at Fincantieri's Ancona shipyard, the 540-guest vessel is scheduled to join the fleet in late 2009. Renowned Italian architect Giacomo Mortola is overseeing the design of the 36,000-ton, ultra-luxury vessel.
"Silver Spirit's design will mirror the distinctive silhouette of our existing ships and will offer the same standards of luxury that our guests have come to expect," said Manfredi Lefebvre, Silversea's chairman. "But there will also be several significant enhancements, including a new supper club, an Asian-themed restaurant and an expanded spa facility that will rival the best spas on land."
Silver Spirit will be a work of art for the most discerning eye. It will be a further testament to our chairman's vision of creating a travel experience of unsurpassed quality by melding together the finer elements of authentic luxury -- starting with the signature grace and elegance of our ships' Italian design.
With a total of 270 all ocean-view suites, the new ship will maintain the line's reputation for intimate yet spacious ships and will increase the number of accommodations in the most popular suite categories. Silver Spirit will feature more of Silver Suites, with a total of 26, and more Veranda Suites, 222. There will also be six Grand Suites and two Owner's Suites. All but 12 suites will have verandas.
When the newest addition to Silversea's fleet sets sail, the ship's privileged complement of guests will not only experience the line's hallmark easy-going luxury, warm Italian hospitality, highly personalized service and all-inclusive amenities, but also a few innovations that will raise the bar in luxury travel. Plans call for an exciting new supper club, offering sumptuous gourmet cuisine served in an intimate, club-like ambiance, and a new Asian restaurant.
The new ship will also feature those dining venues that have become favorites of Silversea guests, such as The Restaurant, the elegant main dining room; The Wine Restaurant, where the menu celebrates the most rarefied vintages; and the Pool Grille, offering casual poolside dining.
SPACIOUS NEW SPAThe new Spa at Silversea, which premiered aboard Silver Shadow's World Cruise last year, will be rolled out aboard the new vessel in grand style with dramatically more space available to incorporate new design elements. Guests will enjoy an aesthetically pleasing sanctuary where they can relax, de-stress and detox with an expanded menu of treatment options.
And Silver Spirit will feature many of the same public lounges found on the line's existing ships, including an Observation Lounge, Vista Lounge (similar to Panorama Lounge on current fleet), Show Lounge, Humidor and Pool Bar, plus a new Lobby Bar styled along the lines of a European hotel, featuring Italian coffees complemented by champagne, wine and spirits -- all served at no charge.
News from Celebrity Cruises:
Sail on the Celebrity Century r/t Barcelona to Cannes, Portofino, Florence, Rome and Naples beginning September 19th with the last cruise departing on November 21st, 2009. This is a great opportunity for clients who have wanted to sail Celebrity in the Med.
Celebrity continues to reveal the features of the new Solstice, scheduled to debut this December in the Caribbean. Amid the excitement is the announcement of several distinct dining venues: Grand Epernay (main dining room), Murano (upscale European), Oceanview Café (lido buffet), Bistro on Five, Silk Harvest (Asian Fusion), Tuscan Grille (Italian) and BLU (reserved for Aqua Class passengers). This is the ship to watch in the premium market!
News from Princess Cruises:
We are excited to announce that the Caribbean Princess will sail r/t New York to Canada and New England this year and next. For those groups looking for something outside of the box, this just might be the answer. The fall foliage in this part of the country is spectacular – and this itinerary is a great way to avoid Hurricane Season in the Caribbean! Wonderful weather, a terrific ship and a unique destination.
Sailing Date(s):
2008: Sep 14 , Sep 28 , Oct 12 , Oct 19
2009: Aug 22 , Aug 29 , Sep 5 , Sep 12 , Sep 19 , Sep 26 , Oct 10 , Oct 17
| 1 | New York City (Manhattan or Brooklyn), New York | 12:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| 2 | Newport, Rhode Island | 7:00 AM | 4:00 PM |
| 3 | Boston, Massachusetts | 10:00 AM | 7:00 PM |
| 4 | Bar Harbor, Maine | 7:00 AM | 6:00 PM |
| 5 | Saint John, New Brunswick | 8:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| 6 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | 9:00 AM | 6:00 PM |
| 7 | At Sea | ||
| 8 | New York City (Manhattan or Brooklyn), New York | 7:15 AM |
News from Ponant Cruises:
Le Levant is available for charter from Istanbul to Athens, October 4-11, 2008. This yacht carries 90 passengers in 45 identical outside cabins.
Le Diamant is available for charter from Las Palmas to Malaga, April 8-15, 2009. This terrific ship carries 210 passengers in all outside staterooms.
Let us know if you are interested in either of these opportunities!
We look forward to hearing from you with new RFP’s. Keep them coming!
Thanks for your continued support!
Best wishes from the Buy The Sea sales team:
Shari Wallack, President
shari@buy-the-sea.com
Caryn Rosenthal, VP Corporate Sales
caryn@buy-the-sea.com
Sandy Cohen, Director Incentive Sales
sandy@buy-the-sea.com
