Uncruise Alaska Savings
The big ships may not be sailing Alaska this summer, but the small ships from Uncruise and others as well as private charters will be taking advantage of the resulting tranquility. Uncruise is offering $600 off per cabin on select accommodations for this May and June when you book by May 15. You can also combine the discount with their family savings of $500 per child (ages 8-17). Or gather a group of 12 or more and earn a complimentary cabin on select sailings while creating your own travel bubble! Note that the cruise line just announced that all adults must be fully vaccinated before sailing, but children 17 and under do not. Choose from a variety of in-depth Alaska experiences that last 7-14 nights on expedition ships that sail with only 22-86 passengers. Your cruise rate includes airport transfers, exclusive activities, shore excursions, and presentations with professional expedition guides. You will also enjoy fresh, local cuisine paired with spirits, wine, and microbrews. Alaska awaits.
Marvel Day and Star Wars Day at Sea
Disney Cruise Line has announced its popular Marvel Day at Sea and Star Wars Day at Sea theme cruises will be returning on select voyages in 2022. The Marvel theme is being featured aboard the 2,700 passenger Disney Magic while the Star Wars theme will debut aboard the larger 4,000 passenger Disney Fantasy. Check your calendars now as these cruises will sell out! Marvel Day at Sea will be available on five-night Western Caribbean and Bahamas sailings departing from Miami on January 8, 17, 22, 31; February 5, 14, 19, 28; and March 5, 2022. Star Wars Day at Sea will be offered on weeklong Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral departing on January 8, 15, 22, 29; February 5, 12, 19, 26; and March 5, 2022. Both theme cruises offer a ton of unique activities and entertainment for cruisers for all ages and all fan levels.
2021 Cruise Ship Debuts
Despite uncertainty about cruising right now, more than 20 new cruise ships are still scheduled to debut this year. We are always excited to offer new ships that often come with fresh concepts and new bells and whistles. Some ships are arriving a little behind schedule due to COVID-related construction delays and others are being pushed back to start sailing in 2022; so not all start dates are firm. It will depend, in part, on when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clears cruise ships to begin sailing again in U.S. waters. But all ships are available for booking! Here is a list of the most family-friendly new cruise ships:
Mardi Gras (Carnival Cruise Line)
Apex (Celebrity)
Rotterdam (Holland America)
MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore (MSC Cruises)
Enchanted Princess (Princess)
Odyssey of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)
On the luxury front, we look forward to selling new ships from Viking, Ritz Carlton Yachts, Seaborn, Ponant, and Silversea for a pampered experience at sea. Call us for more details.
Photography River Cruises
Avid photographers can appreciate and hone their craft with a National Geographic Photography Sailing aboard Adventures by Disney’s 2022 river cruises. Sail aboard the beautiful and upscale AMALyra along France’s Seine River with photo-driven excursions. Your family can also learn about the history and culture of this charming region with a variety of hiking, kayaking, walking, and biking outings, culinary experiences, and visits to quaint villages. The 8-day trip sails round-trip from Paris. Highlights include visiting and photographing the provincial landscape of Monet’s beloved Giverny with a stop at his home and museum. Your family can also honor the memory of brave soldiers lost on the beaches of Normandy. Departures on June 9, June 23, and July 14, 2022 are now available for booking! Book early and save $500 per person when you book by April 11, 2021.
New Expedition Cruises
Adventures by Disney has announced their first expedition-style cruises. The all-new Adventures by Disney Expedition Cruises will sail to Antarctica beginning in late 2021 and to the Galapagos Islands in 2022. The Antarctica and Patagonia Expedition cruises will sail on either Le Boreal or Le Lyrial with the upscale and French boutique cruise line, Ponant. Choose from 11- or 12- night itineraries. This exciting experience will start in Buenos Aires, move onto Patagonia, and then sail to Antarctica with a variety of daily excursions included exploring the untamed nature of these regions and the vibrant culture of Argentina. For Galapagos, Disney will use the locally owned and operated Galapagos Legend for 9-night sailings. The cruise explores these special and unique islands with a naturalist through hiking, snorkeling, and kayaking activities. Wildlife abounds on land and sea. Also, included with Galapagos is time in Ecuador with a riverboat trip to the Amazon and a variety of amazing cultural experiences. Excursions include special programming just for children, and photography workshops to get stellar memories of your trip and for your social media feeds. Bookings just opened and should sell fast!
Disney Wish Update
Disney Cruise Line has announced its newest ship, the Disney Wish, will now make its maiden voyage in Summer 2022, after being delayed a few months by the coronavirus pandemic. It has been nearly ten years since the cruise line’s last ship debut! The 144,000-gt ship will represent an all-new class of ship for Disney and will be slightly larger than the line’s two most recent vessels, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. Disney Wish will be one of the first vessels to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), a cleaner-burning fuel than traditional heavy bunker oil that propels most vessels. Disney also announced a new and wide array of itineraries for 2022, including a return to Hawaii and sailings from homeports including New Orleans, Galveston, San Diego, Miami, Port Canaveral, and Vancouver, Canada. Disney’s books are currently open through May 2022.
EMBARK NCL Spotlight
We are as passionate about the arts as we are of travel. We are so please that Norwegian Cruise Line continues to commit to their performing arts community with its second EMBARK NCL Spotlight episode, Live From Broadway, following the highly successful debut of its first episode, The Choir of Man – Live From London, which was viewed by over 500,000 people in the first week since it aired. The latest episode is now on-demand at https://nclembark.com/. Top talent from the musical theater world united in New York City for an exclusive showcase of the Broadway and West End caliber entertainment from across NCL’s fleet, including songs from Jersey Boys, After Midnight, Footloose, Million Dollar Quarter, Kinky Boots, and more. In addition to the performances, your family will get a front-row seat to behind-the-scenes conversations with cast members regarding what it means to them to perform for the first time in many months.
Disney Cruise Line’s “Frozen”
In time for the holidays, Disney
Cruise Line has shared the full video of the cruise line’s production
of Frozen, A Musical Spectacular. Your family can now enjoy this wonderful show
on land until it can be seen live again shipboard exclusively on Disney Wonder
and Disney Fantasy. It is a full-length retelling of Anna and Elsa’s Frozen
adventure in Arendelle based on the Disney animated movie. Disney previously
shared just a sneak peak of the show, but this is the first time Disney has
shared a full performance. Running time is just over an hour. You can find the
video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgL3vp8bEK0&feature=youtu.be. Disney
has been keeping fans invested by releasing other productions online since the
pandemic started and cruising was put on hold. In the spring, Disney shared a
virtual compressed version of Beauty and the Beast and in the summer,
the full show of Tangled, The Musical was released. Disney is now booking cruises through early
May 2022 with more flexible change and cancellation policies. Please call for more details.
Always Included
Celebrity Cruises just introduced a new approach to cruising called Always Included, putting an end to what it says are confusing promotions, complicated add-ons, and limited-time offers. Thanks Celebrity! From now on, every Celebrity vacation (except the Galapagos sailings) will include Wi-Fi, drinks, and tips:
Unlimited Drinks: Classic cocktails, wines by the glass, beer, sodas, specialty coffees and teas, juices and bottled water can be fully enjoyed without worrying about the tab.
Unlimited Wi-Fi: A free, always-on connection to social
media, email and the web allows you to surf the Internet as much as they want.
Daily Gratuities: Tips are taken care of, allowing your
family to relax and enjoy the service delivered by Celebrity’s crew.
You can also upgrade to one of two packages. Elevate includes unlimited premium drinks and adds $200 per person in shore excursions while Indulge includes the Elevate amenities plus unlimited streaming Wi-Fi and up to $400 per person in onboard credit.
All guests in The Retreat—Celebrity’s vacation concept featuring stunning all-suite accommodations and all-exclusive experiences, including a private restaurant, lounge and sundeck, and a dedicated team of butlers and concierge staff—will receive the same amenities as the Indulge package at no additional charge. Captain’s Club members will also find new perks and special onboard experiences with a re-invented program.
Lock In Alaska
Nature lovers looking to explore Alaska by sea in 2022 can be guaranteed 2021 rates with Lindblad Expeditions when you book by January 31, 2021. Their 5- to 21-night itineraries range from compact and highly active to in-depth adventures that roam further afield to the heart of Alaska’s epic wilderness. Lindblad has several unique ways to enhance your experience such as hydrophones to listen in on the whales, a video microscope to understand more about sea life, an onboard undersea specialist who captures the amazing marine life, a photography instructor, and more. Their exclusive family program, National Geographic Global Explorers, gives your children the opportunity to learn from certified field educators; plenty of wildlife and nature interaction, and the chance to create amazing storytelling projects through writing, video, photography, and more.
