News from Buy The Sea for September '08
We are looking forward to seeing many of you at ITME this month. Please come and see us in the cruise section in booth 1633. If you would like to make an appointment with Shari Wallack, Sandy Cohen or Caryn Rosenthal – please let us know asap.
We get many testimonials from our clients following their trips. Some of them are posted on our site. This particular one is worth reading. It is from Jill Roth who handles incentive programs for an insurance company. We thank Jill for her support and kind words. Please allow Buy The Sea to serve you the way we have served Jill. Click here to read her entire letter.
News (FINALLY) from Crystal Cruises:
For those of you who have been patiently waiting, here are the seven night Med, Aegean and Baltic opportunities on the Crystal Serenity and Symphony for the summer of 2010 (subject to change):
May 11 – Crystal Serenity - Rome to Athens
May 18 – Crystal Serenity – Athens to Venice
May 26 – Crystal Symphony – Rome to Athens
June 18 – Crystal Serenity – Athens to Venice
August 6 – Crystal Symphony - Copenhagen to Stockholm
Please let us know if you require pricing and full itineraries. These ships are fantastic for groups and charters. Capacity on the Symphony is 940. Capacity on the Serenity is 1066. There are no inside cabins on either one of these vessels, so every stateroom is usable for an incentive group.
News from Grand Velas Riviera Maya:
Seeing will be believing, so check out www.grandvelas.com and look at the new Grand Velas Riviera Maya. If you are familiar with (and loved) the original in Nuevo Vallarta – then take note! Our glorious new resort will open in November 2008. This 497-all suite spa resort is four minutes from Playa del Carmen. Choose from jungle and ocean-view rooms – all spacious and elegantly appointed. The resort boasts over 91,000 square feet of flexible event space. WOW! For comparison – Grand Velas Nuevo Vallarta has 6,000 square feet of meeting space.
News from Regent Seven Seas Cruises:
We have “unofficial” word that the Paul Gauguin will remain in Tahiti at least through 2011. Today, we cannot confirm which company will handle onboard operations. It may be Regent Seven Seas (as it has been since the ship’s inception) however that has not as yet been finalized. I can safely say that whoever does operate the ship will continue to do so in the current five-star standard.
If you would like a group or charter quote on the Paul Gauguin, please let us know!
News from MSC:
Two of MSC’s newest and largest ships, the MSC Poesia and the MSC Magnifica will sail r/t Fort Lauderdale in the winter of 2009/10. They will be offering various Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings of seven and ten nights. Although MSC is well-known for their port intensive Mediterranean, Aegean and Baltic itineraries – this is their opportunity to be more visible in the North American market. My prediction is that they will become more “Americanized” as they enter this segment with more capacity. Time will tell.
News from Carnival:
Changes are happening at Carnival. For those first time cruisers or clients with limited budgets, consider sailings out of Mobile, New Orleans and San Diego. The Carnival Fantasy will homeport year ‘round in Mobile, Alabama for four and five night cruises to Mexico. Sailing out of New Orleans will be the Carnival Triumph. She will sail mostly seven night itineraries to the Western Caribbean, as well as select four and five night cruises to Mexico. The Carnival Elation will shift from four and five night cruises to three and four night cruises r/t San Diego to Catalina and Ensenada.
News from Silversea:
Silversea will sail the 132-passenger Prince Albert – a luxury expedition ship – in Tahiti from mid-March to late October 2009. The scheduled cruises are longer than seven nights…but charter opportunities for shorter sailings are possible. Just ask!
News from AMA Waterways:
AMA Waterways christened two new river ships, the MS Amacello and MS Amadante. By 2010, AMA will introduce another four vessels. In fact, construction is booming for new river ships in Europe – so much so that there are not enough ship yards available to handle the demand!
Over 80% of the cabins on AMA Waterways vessels offer French balconies. Cabins have plush bedding with down duvets, flat-screen TVs, complimentary internet access, maple-appointed bathrooms, spa-quality bath amenities, terry robes and slippers. Wine with dinner is included as are the shore excursions. This cruise line specifically targets the English-speaking market and is ideal for groups and charters alike!
News from Oceania:
We are now able to quote charters on the 684-passenger Oceania vessels. Why is Oceania suddenly interested in the incentive market? Simple – they have two “Oceania-class” vessels on order, with the first, the 1,252 passenger Marina set to debut in September 2010. The second ship will arrive in July 2011. Oceania is a premium-level incentive quality product, perfect for charters. The only major drawback is the fact that the show lounges cannot accommodate the entire ship’s compliment. The good news is – if you need to do a formal event including all passengers, you can overnight the ship in a particular port of call and do the event shore side! Oceania is similar in size to Regent’s Mariner and Voyager – however the price point is significantly less. If you have Regent taste with a Holland America budget…consider chartering Oceania!
The buy the sea sales team is here to help you think outside the box:
Shari Wallack
shari@buy-the-sea.com
Caryn Rosenthal
caryn@buy-the-sea.com
Sandy Cohen
sandy@buy-the-sea.com
