Cruise Briefing

American Cruise Lines Launches New Agent Commission Program

American Cruise Lines recently rolled out a new commission program for its travel agent partners. Travel agents working with the cruise line can now earn up to 13% commission on all individual commissionable bookings.

Commission levels start at the standard 10%, but higher commissions can be earned by increasing the number of bookings per calendar year.

“We love working with travel agents and are so happy we can now offer those who are making a higher number of sales with us, a higher commission level,” said Susan Shultz, director of sales for American Cruise Lines.

With the line’s addition of a new ship and expansion of itineraries for 2010, the company is looking to substantially increase its relationship with travel sellers across the country, Shultz added.

For more information on the program details, agents should call (800) 814-6880. For more information on the line, visit www.americancruiselines.com.

Go One-On-One With Cruise Line Execs at FCCA Gala

Fifty cruise executives from 15 cruise lines will serve as hosts at the 16th Annual FCCA (Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association) Gala Dinner and Entertainment Extravaganza to be held on Wednesday, March 17 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Guests can purchase tickets to sit at tables hosted by the cruise line executive of their choice, each representing the member lines of the FCCA. Cruise lines belonging to FCCA include AIDA Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises (USA) Inc., Norwegian Cruise Line, Ocean Village, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Seabourn Cruise Line.

To purchase tickets, or for more information about the Gala Dinner call Terri Cannici at (954) 441-8881.

The Gala will benefit the FCCA Foundation, with 100% of the proceeds going to the non-profit, charitable organization. The Foundation funds humanitarian causes in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Royal Caribbean Launches Daily Reservations for My Time Dining

Royal Caribbean International announced the launch of Daily Reservations, an online reservation system for guests enrolled in the My Time Dining program.

Through Daily Reservations, My Time Dining guests can make nightly reservations in the main dining room for themselves, as well as include other guests at their table. Guests can access, request and review their reservations in advance of their sailing through the Pre-Cruise Planner or Cruise Enhancements section of RoyalCaribbean.com.

Guests selecting My Time Dining can make main dining room reservation requests for each evening of their cruise. Reservations can be requested for an intimate table for two or a larger table accommodating up to a total of 10 people. Reservations can be made for the same time with the same people for each night, or a different time every evening with different companions.

If a particular time is unavailable, Daily Reservations will suggest an alternative time that is closest to the request. Guest can review their daily dinner reservation details in an easy-to-navigate calendar view, and can request changes to their dinner reservations as well.

Guests choosing My Time Dining must prepay gratuities and enroll in advance through RoyalCaribbean.com or their travel agent.

Daily Reservations is currently available for Oasis of the Seas sailings and will be deployed fleetwide throughout spring 2010. On the Oasis guests can also make dinner reservations in four of the ship’s specialty restaurants, including Royal Caribbean’s signature Chops Grille steakhouse.

For more information on My Time Dining visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com/MyTimeDining. Travel sellers can also visit www.cruisingpower.com or call (800) 327-2056.

Carnival Corporation & plc to Build Two Princess Ships

Carnival Corporation & plc has signed a memorandum of agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of two 3,600-passenger ships for its Princess Cruises brand.

The agreement is subject to execution of a definitive contract, financing and other customary closing conditions.

The new ships are scheduled to enter service in spring 2013 and spring 2014. At 139,000 tons each, the as-yet-unnamed ships will be the largest in the Princess Cruises fleet.

Additional details will be announced at a later date.

Carnival Glory Returns to Service After Refurbishment

The Carnival Glory has resumed Caribbean service from Miami following a multi million-dollar renovation that added several new facilities. Among the additions are the adults-only Serenity retreat, a 270-square-foot Seaside Theatre poolside LED screen and a Circle “C” facility for 12- to 14-year olds.

Additionally, 18 new balconies were incorporated onto existing ocean view Spa Deck staterooms and a new Mongolian wok venue was added to the poolside restaurant. The Golden dining room, located forward, was reconfigured for Your Time Dining, which provides guests the option of open seating between 5:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Bow-to-stern WiFi access was added as well.

Carnival Glory operates seven-day cruises from Miami to the eastern and western Caribbean between February and May. In May the ship will move to New York where it will offer a series of four- and five-day Atlantic Canada voyages from June 6 to Sept. 6, followed by a series of seven-day Canada/New England cruises from Sept. 11 to Oct. 9.

For more information, visit BookCCL.com, or call (800) 327-9501 for individual bookings and (800) 327-5782 for group bookings.

Cruise West Reveals 2011/12 Spirit of Oceanus World Sailings

Cruise West has announced the second edition of its Voyages of the Great Explorers 2011/12. Twenty-five itineraries from Asia to the Mediterranean, Europe to the Americas and throughout the South Pacific offer an array of choices and experiences.

The 2011/12 Voyages of the Great Explorers include 25 nine- to 18-night back-to-back itineraries that circumnavigate the world in 335 days, beginning in Singapore on Feb. 22, 2011 and ending in Hong Kong on Jan. 24, 2012. The 25 voyages will visit six continents, 254 ports of call in 61 countries while crossing 14 seas and oceans and transiting four canals.

Prices for the sailings including shore excursions at every port, Ultimate Explorers Experiences designed to bring guests into direct personal contact with fascinating people, seven to 10 onboard lectures, Zodiac exploration and snorkeling safaris.

Prices start at $6,545 for the 13-night Panama City to Lima. Clients booking and paying in full by April 30 can save up to $4,600 per person and will receive free international air of up to $1,500 (Cruise West must reserve the air). Guests booking consecutive voyages receive a 5% discount.

More information can be found at www.cruisewest.com.

Norwegian Epic Completes First Sea Trial

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic completed its first successful sea trial this past weekend, after four days of sailing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.

During the sea trials, 300 technicians and engineers from STX FRANCE SA, along with 30 Norwegian Cruse Line representatives checked more than 60 different aspects of the ship’s performance by running trials of the vessel’s speed, maneuverability, hydrodynamics and propulsion, among others.

A second round of sea trials is scheduled for mid-April. The ship is scheduled for delivery on June 15.

For more information about the Epic, visit http://epic.ncl.com.