Cruise Lines Up the Ante on Suites, Shipboard Amenities

Celebrity Upgrades Millennium Class
Celebrity Cruises will spend $140 million to upgrade its four Millennium Class ships with new venues and experiences already found on its five Solstice Class ships. The Celebrity Constellation will reenter service on May 5, retrofitted with Celebrity’s AquaClass accommodations offering access to the Mediterranean-themed Blu restaurant and to the ship’s Persian Garden and Relaxation Room.
The ship will also have 66 new staterooms, including 17 ocean view rooms, 12 inside rooms and 27 AquaClass rooms. Full Wi-Fi will now be available throughout the ship.

Tauck’s New Riverboats to Boast More Suites
Tauck’s two new-build riverboats set to be launched in Europe next year will each have 57% more suites than the company’s Jewel Class vessels, which already boast more suites than other riverboats. The ms Savor and ms Inspire will, the first vessels in Tauck’s new Inspiration Class, will have 22 300-square foot suites. Suites will comprise 33% of the total 67 staterooms on the vessels. The new suites will come outfitted with a pull-out couch, walk-in closet, and two French balconies with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Seabourn Introduces Penthouse Spa Suites
The Seabourn Quest will leave drydock in May, enhanced with four new Penthouse Spa Suites located above the ship’s Spa at Seabourn facility. Guests will access the suites using a spiral staircase located in the lobby of the star, while enjoying unlimited access to the spa’s Serene Area. The suites will also come with unique spa amenities and a personal spa concierge to assist with planning and reservations

Zegrahm Launches Small-Ship Lineup
Zegrahm Expeditions announced 14 small-ship expeditions will take place in 2014, including journeys to all seven continents aboard the Sea Adventurer, Isabela II, Island Sky and Caledonian Sky. Highlights include the 15-day Circumnavigation of New Guinea, the 18-day Mysteries of the Far North: Russia’s White Sea and the 16-day Pearls of Polynesia: Fiji to Tahiti journey.

Crystal Adds Smoke-Free Environments
Beginning in 2014, Crystal Cruises will eliminate smoking in all indoor areas except its Connoisseur Club smoking lounge. Outside smoking will be available in a limited number of designated spaces. The new policy will begin with the January 5 and January 8 voyages of the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony. Crystal eliminated smoking in the Avenue Saloon and Casino in 2013.

“We have received considerable feedback and we listened.  Our policies have evolved as lifestyles have changed,” says Gregg Michel, Crystal Cruises’ president.  “The majority of our guests worldwide are non-smoking, and travelers are used to more non-smoking environments today.”

Royal Caribbean Sets Short Caribbean Cruises
New three-to-five-night journeys from Florida to the Caribbean and Bahamas will be available from Royal Caribbean throughout 2014 and 2014, sailing from Tampa, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades and Miami. Enchantment of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas will offer year round  three and four night Bahamas cruises, calling at Nassau and CocoCay. In summer 2014, Vision of the Seas will undertake a four-night itinerary taking guests to Cozumel, Mexico, and five-night journeys to Cozumel and Roaton, Honduras. Liberty of the Seas will sail four- and five-night Western Caribbean cruises in winter 2014-2015, as well.

CruiseOne Details Annual Conference
The 2013 CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. announced its annual conference will take place on the Norwegian Breakaway, departing from New York on Sept. 29 and sailing to Bermuda. The conference’s theme is “Collaboration, Passion and Innovation.”

Cruise Planners Announces Mid-Year Conference
Cruise Planners – American Express Travel will hold its first mid-year conference in New York City’s Times Square on May 7 and 8, culminating in the inaugural sailing of the Norwegian Breakaway. More than 400 travel advisors are expected to attend the two-day conference at the Sheraton New York Times Square. Training sessions will include destination updates on New Zealand, Ireland, Barbados, Hawaii, Tahiti, Taiwan and more.

“We hit the road last fall to do regional meetings around the country, and realized there is so much going on in the industry and within our company that we decided we couldn’t wait until Fall for our next convention to get our advisors together,” said Cruise Planners CEO and Co-founder Michelle Fee.