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AFLOAT NORWEGIAN Aaron Fletcher has become the first-ever Partners First Ambassador for Norwegian Cruise Line. ROYAL CARIBBEAN announced that Quantum of the Seas will be making its first eight-night westbound transatlantic voyage from Southampton on November 2 2014, arriving in the New York area at Cape Liberty Port, New Jersey, on November 10. CAPTAIN’S TABLE Muriel Bolger’s new cruise-based book, The Captain’s Table launched on Monday. Muriel says: “I’m a huge cruise fan, and an avid people watcher. Add being curious and a writer to that mix and it’s easy to see how The Captain’s Table came about! The inspiration was all there in front of me – sun, sea and solo travellers, the opulent ships providing countless settings for scenes of seduction, debauchery, family fights and new romances. Add great destinations, men in uniform, hot tubs, cocktails, dancing under the stars, and an affable Captain who is good at hiding his problems, and you have a pretty fool proof recipe for an interesting holiday. (And a good summer read too, I hope.) And NO – it’s NOT autobiographical.”
P&O
Ferries’ superferry twins, European Highlander and European Causeway which operate between Larne and Cairnryan, have returned to service following a £100,000 re-fit on each ship.
FRED OLSEN is sending its
Boudicca and Black Watch ships to witness a total eclipse of the sun from a position just off the Faroe islands - and the possibility of seeing the Northern Light in March 2015.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN launched their 2014-15 worldwide cruise brochure offering more agent incentives to sail a season of eight ships in Europe for summer 2014, along with what they call Oasis of the Seas’ “European micro-season.” The cruise line’s 2014 brochure includes 60 new itineraries worldwide.
IRISH FERRIES is offering children under 16 free travel when travelling by car with an adult on all cruise-ferry and Dublin Swift fast ferry sailings this year, inclusive of peak July and August holiday dates. P&O Adonia came to Dublin for its first ship visit. It sails typically from Southampton to Fjords / Baltics. The P&O Adonia is the smallest ship in the line up taking 710 passengers, giving a more intimate cruise experience and because of the smaller size 75% of staterooms have balconies. It’s also exclusively for adults.
Launch fo Royal Princess by Kate Middleton in Southamton
A big Princess
This month’s new cruise ship is the 9th largest afloat
A
bit like the cruise industry itself, the launch of the 3,600passenger Royal Princess in Southampton was extravagant, overgilded and full of salty humour. Quayside festivities included an original song by “the first lady of London’s West End,” Kerry Ellis, and percussive orchestra Mass Ensemble which performed with its signature “Earth Harp,” an architectural instrument with strings that extend for
sea and the largest ever for Princess. The inaugural cruise will visit Barcelona, Vigo, Malaga, Gibraltar and Lisbon. he name was taken from the original Royal Princess ship which launched in 1984 and no longer belongs to Princess Cruises. The original ship is now known as the MV Artania and is based in Germany, where it is part of the fleet belonging to German cruise company, Phoenix Reisen.
IRISH FERRIES 40 YEARS A-SAILING
I
rish Ferries celerbates 40 yers of operations of its Ireland-France service this month. in June 1973, the direct passenger car ferry service between Ireland and France now operated by Irish Ferries began operation. Managed by the then Irish Continental Line – subsequently joined by B&I Line under the Irish Ferries flag – the route was
serviced by the passenger ferry vessel St. Patrick which had been built in Bremerhaven, Germany to service the route. Initial sailings operated between Rosslare and Le Havre. Later, services to Cherbourg and between Cork and Le Havre were added, but discontinued because of the long asil involved. A route to the French port of Roscoff was
added. Today, direct services from Rosslare to Cherbourg and Roscoff continue. Serviced by the vessel Oscar Wilde, the service operates year-round on a three sailings per week schedule and carries in excess of 200,000 passengers annually. In business terms, the service makes a significant contribution to the eco-
nomic welfare of Wexford and the South East Irish Ferries Marketing Director, Tony Kelly said “over the past four decades, our services to France have made a significant contribution towards building Ireland’s links with communities throughout Europe, especially France, Germany and the Benelux countries.”
THIRD QUANTUM FOR ROYAL
CELEBRITY Infinity stopped by in
Belfast where cruise specialist Sandra Corkin of Oasis Travel entertained some of her clients.
R
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
has unveiled Quantum of the Seas’ first 18 Caribbean sailings, ranging from seven to 12 nights, with the official inaugural sailing taking place on 23 November 2014.
1,000 feet and was played as it hovered over the 2,000 guests at the ceremony. English pop singer Natasha Bedingfield sang her hit Unwritten, the ship was blessed by Tim Dakin, Bishop of Winchester, before a £1,250 Nebuchadnezzar of Moet et Chandon champagne was smashed against the hull of the Royal Princess to officially name the ship. It is the ninth largest cruise ship at
Cuttiing of the first Quantum plate
oyal Caribbean Cruises has signed a contract with the Meyer Werft shipyard to construct a THIRD Quantumclass cruise ship for delivery in mid-2016.
The unnamed new ship will join the Royal Caribbean fleet in mid-2016 following Quantum of the Seas in autumn 2014 and Anthem of the Seas in spring 2015.