CLIA Cruise Lines Offer Last-Minute Availability on Easter, Spring Break Sailings

Enjoy the thrilling zipline on Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private island on Haiti’s north coast © 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The Easter Bunny, parades, special Easter menus and egg decorating are just part of the festivities and family fun aboard select cruise ships exploring the world this April.

Here are cruises that are still available from the North American fleet of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) for Easter and Spring Break departures:

Follow the Easter Bunny

MSC Cruises’ MSC Divina has a 7-night departure leaving from Miami on April 19 visiting Phillipsburg, St. Maarten; Road Town, Tortola; and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, with a variety of “Easter themed” activities. Kids “Easter hunt”, costume parades, Easter chef classes, chocolate Easter eggs and special Easter menus in the main restaurants make the week particularly festive. Seven-night departures from Miami on April 12 and April 26 visit Falmouth, Jamaica; Georgetown, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico, and the private island of Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas for other spring break options. An added plus, is that kids sail free year-round on MSC Cruises.

The Easter Bunny will pass out chocolates and will be available for photo ops on select Holland America Line’s April sailings. There will also be an Easter bonnet competition, egg decorating, a Jelly bean count and Easter mass. The Maasdam will sail roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale for an 11-day Southern Caribbean itinerary on April 11 with port stops in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Kingstown, St. Vincent; Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort-De-France, Martinique; Frederiksted; and the private island of Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. A 14-day Panama Canal sailing on Westerdam departing on April 15 travels from Fort Lauderdale, FL to San Diego, and will include Cartagena, Colombia; through the Panama Canal; with ports of call in Costa Rica and Mexico, ending in Cabo San Lucas. Also departing on April 15, the 11-day Adriatic Dream itinerary on Noordam departs from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, and includes the Strait of Messina, Italy; Greece and Croatia with an overnight and disembarkation in Venice, Italy.

Celebrate the Sun

Those who have suffered through the cold winter will be especially ready to celebrate spring in the sun. Disney Cruise Lines’ four ships will all be in the Caribbean this April. Disney sails from Port Canaveral with three options: a 3-night Bahamian cruise on April 18 on Disney Magic with stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island; a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise on April 19 on Disney Fantasy with stops in St. Maarten, St. Thomas/St. John and Castaway Cay; and a 4-night Bahamian cruise with stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay on Disney Dream on April 20. Disney Wonder sails from Miami on April 18 on a 5 -night Western Caribbean itinerary with stops in Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

Norwegian Cruise Line is currently offering free Balcony upgrades, reduced deposits and e-coupons worth $300 on these Easter sailings: 7-night Mexican Rivera from Los Angeles on Norwegian Star on April 13; 7-night Western Caribbean from New Orleans on Norwegian Jewel on April 13; 3-night Bahamas from Miami on Norwegian Sky on April 18; 7-night Eastern Caribbean from Miami on Norwegian Getaway on April 19; 7-night Inter-Island Hawaii on Pride of America on April 19; 7-night Western Caribbean from Tampa on Norwegian Dawn on April 20; and 7-night Western Caribbean from Miami on Norwegian Epic on April 20.

Royal Caribbean International‘s Navigator of the Seas sails April 20 from Galveston, Texas, on a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary, calling at Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. Allure of the Seas sails April 20 from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, FL, on a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary, calling at Falmouth, Jamaica; Cozumel, Mexico; and Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private island on Haiti’s north coast. Enchantment of the Seas sails April 18 from Port Canaveral on a 3-night Bahamas cruise, calling at Nassau and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private Bahamian-island. Guests also can combine a cruise aboard Enchantment of the Seas with a 3- to 4-day stay at Universal Orlando Resorts, enjoying savings and inclusive Universal Express Unlimited ride access among many more theme park privileges.

Cultural Odyssey

Guests of Paul Gauguin Cruises’ m/s Paul Gauguin can combine sun with culture when they travel to Marquesas, Tuamotus & Society Islands on a 14-day cruise departing April 12 from Papeete, Tahiti. They’ll experience a true glimpse of the Polynesia of the old including Bora Bora, Moorea, Taha’a (Motu Mahana), and Huahine.

Tauck River Cruising has limited space on its 10-day April 18 departure of “Belgium & Holland in Spring” aboard the ms Treasures. The itinerary begins with an included overnight in Brussels before embarkation in Maastricht and sailing to Amsterdam. Special experiences along the way include Keukenhof Gardens and the Rijksmuseum, a scenic Amsterdam canal boat cruise, the Netherlands American Cemetery, a culinary experience at Chateau Neercanne, chocolate and beer tastings, and a private dinner at and tour of the In Flanders Fields Museum to observe the WWI Centennial.

Silversea Cruises’ Silver Spirit departs April 19 on a 16-day repositioning cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona. Ports of call include Bermuda, the Azores, Malaga, Cartagena and Valencia. There is still availability on Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria during the 12-day Transatlantic Crossing from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton, England on April 16.

Guests dine on Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s cuisine while sailing through Japan with Crystal Cruises during the 15-day “Skyscrapers & Shoguns” itinerary. Starting April 16, Crystal Symphony sails from Beijing to Tokyo, with a 3-day overnight land program in Beijing included, followed by visits to Shanghai (two nights docked locally), Nagasaki, Osaka (local overnight), Shimizu, and, finally, Tokyo (local overnight—a rare call for the cruise line.) The cruise is also available without the Beijing land program, and as a shorter 7- or 8-day “Getaway.”

For expert advice, travelers can turn to a CLIA Cruise Agent, who stays current on the latest offerings and trends and is an expert in helping clients selects a cruise of their dreams. To find a CLIA Cruise Agent or Agency in your area, visit www.cruising.org and click on Vacations and use our Cruise Expert Finder.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines and travel agents before regulatory and legislative policy makers. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise holiday vacations with thousands of travel agency and travel agent members. CLIA’s Associate Member and Executive Partner program includes the industry’s leading providers of supplies and services that help cruise lines provide a safe, environmentally-friendly and enjoyable holiday vacation experience for millions of passengers every year. For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and CLIA-member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit http://www.cruising.org. CLIA can also be followed on the Cruise Lines International Association’s Facebook and Twitter fan pages, and CEO Christine Duffy can be followed @CLIACEO and cruising.org/ceoblog.

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Virgin Vacations Introduces Cruise Vacations with Holland America Line

Venice is one of the destinations on Virgin Vacations' new cruise vacation packages featuring Holland America Line © 2012 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.

Virgin Vacations has introduced a collection of 32 cruise vacation packages featuring Holland America Line. Travelers can choose from cruise or air-inclusive packages offering savings of up to 30% on air fare alone.

Available year round, the cruise packages give travelers a head start by providing a stay of one- to three days at the port city of embarkation, prior to cruise departure. Travelers can choose from itineraries to the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, Northern Europe, Panama Canal, Hawaii, Alaska, and the Mexican Riviera.

Europe spring and summer cruise packages range from 9- to 17 days. With spring-summer air fares to Europe alone costing $1,400-$1,700, Virgin Vacations’ new packages are priced from $929, or $2,119 with air fare from New York for a one night Amsterdam hotel and 7 Day Southern Norwegian Fjords Cruise package in May. Mediterranean cruise vacation packages, such as a one-night Rome hotel and 10-day Eastern Mediterranean cruise in mid-May begin at $1,099, $2,169 air inclusive from New York.

Prices are per person, double occupancy, and include first class hotel accommodations with breakfast, hotel to port transfer, and cruise with all meals. Air prices include all taxes and fuel charges. Optional sightseeing tours are additional, as are cabin and hotel upgrades.

 

For more information contact http://www.virginvacations.com

Sample Mediterranean cruise packages

Travelers who haven’t yet made summer plans can still find space on any of 7 different Mediterranean cruise vacation itineraries through early fall, with a choice of starting in Rome or Barcelona. Below are sample packages available with or without air fare.

Western Mediterranean

From Rome: 13 days: 1 night Rome, 10 night cruise

Beginning in Rome with an overnight at the first class Hotel Genova, and a free morning, Virgin Vacations passengers transfer to Civitavecchia, where they board the MS Noordam for ten nights cruising the Mediterranean. The itinerary calls at 7 different ports, with a full day at each, plus an overnight and extra half day anchored in Barcelona. First port of call is Livorno, where travelers can visit Florence for the day. Rounding out the itinerary are visits to Monte Carlo, Monaco; Palma de Majorca, Spain; Tunis, Tunisia; Trapani, Sicily and Naples before returning to Rome.

Regular departures are available through September 23, with prices beginning at $1,199 cruise vacation for May 26 departure, and ranging to a high of $1,699 for the June 15 package. Air-inclusive packages from New York begin at $2199, May 26 departure, and range to $2979 for the June 16 departure. Add on air fares begin at $347 from Los Angeles; $483 from San Francisco. Cruise line taxes and fees, plus 2 Euro per person Italian city tax per hotel night in Rome are additional, as are optional tours, shore excursions, and gratuities.

Eastern Mediterranean

Barcelona to Venice: 15 days: 1 night Barcelona, 12 night Mediterranean cruise, from $1,449 hotel-cruise, $2,679 with air fare

This package begins in Barcelona and ends in Venice, beginning with an overnight and morning in Barcelona before a transfer to port for 12 nights aboard the MS Nieuw Amsterdam. Following a full day at sea, the first port of call is Livorno, in Italy’s Tuscany region, before calling at Rome, Naples, and Messina, Italy. Another full day at sea leads to stops in Nafplion, Katakolon, and Corfu, Greece; and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Venice is port of call for a final afternoon and night.

Included are hotel and breakfast in Barcelona, hotel-port transfer, all meals while on cruise, and full day stops at all ports of call except Venice (1/2 day and overnight). Travelers can choose from two hotels in Barcelona and three different departure dates:

• July 4 : hotel-cruise from $1449, $2689 with air fare, New York
• August 9:  hotel-cruise from $1449, $2679 with air fare
• September 21: hotel-cruise from $2069, $2969 with air fare

Add-on air fares from Los Angeles start at $241 per person, $193 per person from San Francisco. Airport transfers, shore excursions, gratuities, Holland America taxes and fees are additional.

For more information, visit Virgin Vacations’ Holland America Line Cruise Vacations, or contact your travel agent. Virgin Vacations is also on facebook.

To learn about Virgin Vacations’ destinations, visit www.virginvacations.com.

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