Holland America is making some big changes to its frequent cruiser program, the Mariner Society, in an effort to build more loyalty among customers.

Criticized in the past for having one of the weakest frequent cruiser programs in the business, the line announced Monday it would offer its most loyal fans everything from free laundry service to discounted drinks, spa treatments and gift shop purchases.

Under the new program customers will receive ever larger perks and discounts as the number of days they have sailed with the line grows. The program will have four categories:  

-- Star Mariner. The entry level status given to every customer who has completed a single cruise. Star Mariner card holders will receive special offers on select sailings, a 50% discount for third and fourth passengers in a cabin on select sailings, access to hosted sailings with Holland America Ambassadors, a Welcome Back Embarkation Brunch on future cruises, a subscription to the Mariner Magazine and a Mariner Champagne Brunch on future cruises.

-- Two-Star Mariner. Customers must chalk up 30 cruise days to reach this level. Two-Star passengers receive all the amenities of a Star Mariner plus shopping discounts (15% off merchandise purchased from ShopHollandAmerica.com and 10% off logo apparel items bought at onboard gift shops), a free ship photo, annual cruise planner and recognition pin.

Three–Star Mariner.Attained after a customer records 75 cruise days. Three-Star passengers receive all Two-Star amenities plus a 10% discount on select spa treatments; a 25% discount on all wine packages, mini-bar purchases, Explorations Café drinks and alternative restaurant surcharges; special advanced notice of new itineraries; and a waiver of air deviation fees.

Four-Star Mariner. The program's top tier, reserved for customers who have earned 200 cruise days or more. Four-Star Mariners receive all Three-Star benefits plus free fare for third and fourth passengers on select sailings; free wine tasting and laundry/pressing; a 50% discount on all wine packages, mini-bar purchases, Explorations Café drinks and alternative restaurant surcharges; a 15% discount on logo apparel items onboard in the gift shops; priority tender service and check-in; priority shore excursion pre-booking; and a free subscription to Food and Wine or Travel and Leisure magazine.

In addition to earning a Cruise Day credit for each actual day sailed with the line, passengers can earn "bonus" Cruise Day credits when booking a suite or making onboard purchases.

The new Mariner Society Rewards Program will roll out fleetwide by October 18, 2009.

Published on: September 3, 2009

Royal Caribbean International’s 225,000-ton Oasis of the Seas will allow passengers to make reservations for onboard entertainment from three months to four days before sailing. The pre-booking will embed a reservation in the passengers’ SeaPass cards. The complimentary reservation guarantees entrance to the show, but does not reserve a specific seat. Seat selection remains first-come, first-served. The system will only to be used for Oasis, which enters service in December, and sister ship Allure of the Seas, due out a year later. The new reservation system was revealed during a webcast with Royal Caribbean President Adam Goldstein and two executives in charge of onboard features. Those who change their mind about which shows to see can amend their show reservations onboard, either at the ship’s box office or through the interactive TV in every stateroom, said Charly McDonald, director of guest services and entertainment technical operations. If guests without reservations want to attend a show, there will be standby seating available as long as there is room.

In other news, Oasis will have an online waiver for all of the “extreme activities” onboard, including the FlowRider surf attraction, rock climbing walls, ice skating and the zipline that soars over the Boardwalk. The one waiver can be used for all those adventures, so guests don’t have to fill out a new one for each activity.

Also, Oasis will have a nursery at sea that will care for children age 6 to 36 months. It was beta-tested on Splendour of the Seas. The nursery will be able to care for up to 15 children at a time, so reservations are recommended. For more information, visit www.oasisoftheseas.com.

Published on: September 2, 2009

Holland America Line’s Zaandam is set to discover the Hawaiian Island chain in 2010 with Circle Hawaii itineraries that offer guests relaxing days at sea and islands to explore. The 1,432-passenger ship will sail five 14-day roundtrip San Diego, Calif., cruises and one 15-day voyage from Vancouver, British Colombia, to San Diego. The sailings are from October through December. Scheduled between two stretches of sea days are back-to-back calls at Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai and Maui — plus a call at Ensenada, Mexico — before the ship returns to San Diego. Included in the Hawaii cruise roster is a holiday sailing departing Dec. 19.

Departing Sundays from San Diego, guests will have several days at sea before arriving at Hawaii. During this time, they can enjoy a day at the Greenhouse Spa, visit the Culinary Arts Center for a hands-on cooking class or attend a Digital Workshop powered by Windows to learn how to share memorable photos taken on the voyage. The Speaker Series offers insights into upcoming ports and includes destination-related topics such as Polynesian music and dance traditions. The first port call is to Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii where guests can visit one of Hawaii’s best-known landmarks — Kilauea Volcano. Other highlights include botanical gardens and the Akaka Falls. As Zaandam makes it way to Honolulu, the state capital, guests can enjoy an evening at the Polynesian Cultural Center or whale watching, a traditional Hawaiian luau, a stroll down Waikiki beach or surfing. Guests also can visit the USS Arizona Memorial from World War II.

On route to Nawiliwili, Kauai, guests can get spectacular views as Zaandam sails along the island’s Na Pali Coast. Upon reaching Nawiliwili they can visit Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon of the Pacific) or get an aerial view of the island on a helicopter tour. They can book a zipline tour through the forest canopy for a unique perspective of the island’s inspiring natural setting. At Lahaina, Maui, guests can explore the beaches and a volcano, or spend the day shopping at chic boutiques and galleries.Those sailing on the 15-day voyage departing Oct. 2 have an added call at Kona, once known as the playground of Hawaii's royalty. Kona is synonymous with the famous coffee that grows on the slopes of dormant Hualalai volcano. Another highlight of this longer voyage is an evening scenic cruise past the Kilauea volcano. Cruise fares begin at $1,499 per person for the full 14-day Circle Hawaii and $1,699 per person for the 15-day voyage.

Published on: September 2, 2009

Carnival Cruise Lines’ new 130,000-ton Carnival Dream will introduce outdoor laser shows that will combine laser technology with rock music. The 15-minute nighttime shows will feature choreographed lasers projecting aerial patterns of blue, red and green set to music by artists such as Styx, Rush, Van Halen, Boston and Pink Floyd. Smoke machines will be used to enhance the laser light effects.

Four all-weather LaserNet ScannerPro lasers will be positioned high atop the Lido Deck. Each high-wattage laser will be independently computer controlled using Pangolin Laser Designer software that synchronizes the lasers in time with the music, which will be amplified by the 70,000-watt sound system of the ship’s Seaside Theatre LED screen. The Seaside Theatre’s jumbo monitor will also display graphics and original music videos of the various artists played during the show. Carnival Dream is set to debut Sept. 21 with three 12-day “Grand Mediterranean” cruises round-trip from Rome, followed by a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing from Rome (Civitavecchia) to New York Oct. 27 to Nov. 12. From New York, Carnival Dream will operate two eight-day Bahamas/Florida cruises departing Nov. 15 and Nov. 23, then reposition to Port Canaveral for a nine-day Caribbean cruise departing Dec. 3. Carnival Dream will launch year-round seven-day Caribbean service from Port Canaveral, Dec. 12.

Published on: September 2, 2009

Royal Caribbean International’s 225,000-ton Oasis of the Seas, which debuts in December, will feature the first cupcake shop at sea, named The Cupcake Cupboard. The 1940s-style shop will offer an assortment of cupcakes daily at a la carte pricing; specialty cupcakes and cupcake wedding cakes also will be available. The Cupcake Cupboard, located in the Royal Promenade, also will provide a separate space for guests looking to celebrate special events. The space also will host daily hands-on decorating classes where families can learn the techniques behind cupcake decorating -- they can learn how to create animal faces, sunflowers, snow globes, and even “pupcakes” in honor of the family dog. Information on the classes, which are offered daily, can be found in the ship’s Daily Planner and are available at an additional charge. For more information, visit www.oasisoftheseas.com.

Published on: September 2, 2009

Princess Cruises’ Island Princess helped inaugurate the Port of Vancouver’s new shore power facility by turning off its engines and instead plugging in to clean hydroelectric power from shore. The new shore power technology at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal enables Princess ships, and other equipped vessels, to use power from the city’s grid instead of the onboard diesel-powered engines, reducing emissions when docking in Vancouver. The port is the third where Princess ships can take advantage of this technology. The new shore power installation is the first use of this technology in Canada and is the result of a $9 million cooperative partnership among Port Metro Vancouver, Transport Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, British Columbia Hydro, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises. “We’ve been committed to shore power for many years, so we’re pleased we can now ‘plug in’ our ships at Port Metro Vancouver,” said Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours. “We know that local air quality issues are important to the community, and we’re proud to join with all those involved in realizing this important environmental initiative.”

Princess’ shore power program debuted in Juneau in summer 2001. It expanded to Seattle in summer 2005 and is planned to roll out in other ports that have made commitments to the technology, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Currently nine of the line’s ships are outfitted with the capability to plug in to a shoreside power source. Four Princess ships will use shore power in Vancouver during the remainder of the 2009 Alaska season. The vessels -- Coral Princess, Diamond Princess, Island Princess and Sapphire Princess -- sail on seven-day Gulf of Alaska cruises.

To create this unique power system, Princess has outfitted its ships with custom-built connection cabinets that connect the ship’s electrical network to the local electrical system ashore. Since 2001, Princess has invested nearly $7 million in equipment alone to enable its vessels to connect to shore power. The ships currently equipped with this technology include Coral Princess, Dawn Princess, Diamond Princess, Golden Princess, Island Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess, Star Princess and Sun Princess. Also known as “cold ironing,” shore power uses electrical power transmitted from a landside transformer to the vessel via four 3½-inch diameter flexible electrical cables. The actual cable connection on a vessel is a traditional, though quite large, plug and socket. The length of time needed to connect a ship to shore power and shut down the vessel’s diesel generator is approximately 40 minutes. Once connected, the ship’s engines are powered down and, simultaneously, the necessary amount of power, provided by BC Hydro, will be used to run the ship’s services while in port.

Fri Aug 21 2009, by Travel Trade Staff

Promoting relaxation and well-being, three Holland America Line packages have been introduced to provide guests with more ways to customize their cruise vacation. The Well-Being Package, Suite Amenities Package and Suite Elite Package feature select combinations for fitness, luxury and revitalization.

"As the needs and expectations of our guests continue to diversify, we, in turn, continue to vary our offerings that entertain, educate and energize," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest services. "These packages further enhance luxury cruising for our guests that are wanting an exclusive and personal experience."

Well-Being Package

The Well-Being Package promotes rejuvenation through the Greenhouse Spa and fitness center. One fitness session is included which guests can choose from a class schedule while onboard. Guests select either a fifty minute facial or massage treatment from a collection comprised of a La Therapie Facial, an Elemis Aromapure Facial and a Swedish or an Elemis Deep Tissue Massage.

Guests will also enjoy an advanced revitalization treatment with an Alpha Capsule session which combines dry-heat sauna, vibratory massage and soothing aromatherapy. Unlimited access to the hydro pool and thermal suite is added with a souvenir monogrammed bathrobe for each guest. At a preferred time, a platter of sliced fresh fruit is delivered daily. The Well-Being package starts at $299 per person on seven-day sailings.

Suite Amenities Package

The Suite Amenities Package offers special suite-like services for guests booked in staterooms other than suites. Either high tea or cold canapés are delivered to each stateroom daily as well as complimentary laundry and pressing through the length of a sailing. Guests also enjoy an Explorations Café coffee card for ten drinks and a daily DVD selection from the video library with hot popcorn. For an evening of fine dining, a dinner for two is provided at the Pinnacle Grill restaurant.

Fresh flowers, pillows à la carte and a beverage set-up with two bottles of wine and two bottles of liquor are prepared along with two souvenir monogrammed bathrobes in each stateroom. Special disembarkation including luggage pick-up and departure at leisure is offered with access to a disembarkation lounge with refreshments. The Suite Amenities Package starts at $285 per person on sailings up to 10 days.

Suite Elite Package

Exclusive to suite guests, the Suite Elite Package pampers guests even more with additional amenities for a deluxe cruise experience. An initial beverage set-up of two bottles of wine and two bottles of liquor are placed in each stateroom. A Culinary Arts Center cooking class is included along with a session of premium wine tasting and a dinner to share in the Pinnacle Grill.

For relaxation, unlimited access to the hydro pool and thermal suite is offered on all sailings. An internet card of 100 minutes, an Explorations Café coffee card for ten drinks, daily turndown truffles and a deluxe flower arrangement complete this package. The Suite Elite Package starts at $429 per person on sailings up to 10 days.

For additional information, visit www.hollandamerica.com.

Panama Canal and Mexican Riviera
Line’s 2010-11 Schedule Presents a Variety of Close-to-Home Adventures to Idyllic Locals

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (June 8, 2009) – Whether travelers choose to explore the beaches and colorful islands of the Caribbean, enjoy the warm welcoming culture of the Mexican Riviera, or marvel at the dramatic Panama Canal, Princess Cruises offers a wide array of options for tropical getaways to some of the most popular warm weather destinations in the fall 2010 to spring 2011 cruise season.
With the convenience of close-to-home departure points, these just-announced itineraries present many vacation options in the balmy tropics. In the Caribbean, passengers can choose a variety of itinerary options, many featuring the private beach of Princess Cays, including week-long getaways, 10-day sailings or full 14-day island explorations. Along the Mexican Riviera, passengers can sail from Los Angeles or San Francisco to some of the area’s most popular resort regions. And, those wishing to experience the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal can choose from a convenient round-trip voyage or experience the drama of a full canal transit, including extra time in Panama with a Two-Day Canal Experience.
“There are so many ways to escape the winter cold or the everyday grind and enjoy the warmth and relaxation of a tropical getaway,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “These destinations offer romance, interesting cultures, active pursuits, relaxing beaches, and even the opportunity to witness a historic feat of engineering.”
The line’s tropical getaway options include:
Caribbean – Six Princess ships will visit more than 25 ports throughout the idyllic Caribbean with 14 itinerary choices. The 135 departures include a variety of vacation options exploring the Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean.

• Ruby Princess/Seven-Day Eastern Caribbean – Ruby Princess takes over sailings to the Eastern Caribbean, with roundtrip cruises from Fort Lauderdale on Sundays. The itinerary features calls at the line’s own Princess Cays, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Grand Turk. Ruby Princess will offer 28 sailings between October 24, 2010 and May 1, 2011.

• Crown Princess/Seven-Day Western Caribbean – Crown Princess sails on 25 roundtrip seven-day cruises to the Western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, visiting Grand Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel and Princess Cays. Crown Princess’ season will run from October 30, 2010 through April 30, 2011. The ship will also offer two special itineraries – a five-day Eastern Caribbean Sampler on December 18, calling at Grand Turk and Princess Cays, and a nine-day Southern Caribbean Holiday sailing to Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, St. Thomas, and Princess Cays departing on December 30.

• Caribbean Princess/Seven-Day Southern Caribbean – Caribbean Princess sails from San Juan on two alternating seven-day itineraries. The Classic Southern Caribbean route sails to the ports of St. Thomas, Tortola, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados, while Southern Caribbean Explorer sailings travel to St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba. In total 27 cruises will depart between October 31, 2010 and May 1, 2011. The ship starts the season with an eight-day Bermuda & Eastern Caribbean sailing from New York to San Juan on October 23, 2010, featuring calls at Bermuda, St. Lucia, Antigua and St. Thomas.

• Emerald Princess/10-Day Eastern and Southern Caribbean – For a more in-depth island vacation with the convenience of roundtrip travel from Fort Lauderdale, Emerald Princess offers alternating 10-day roundtrip itineraries – one to the Southern Caribbean and the other to the Eastern Caribbean. The Southern Caribbean Medley itinerary calls at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Aruba. The Eastern Caribbean Voyager itinerary offers calls at Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Princess Cays. Emerald Princess will offer 23 sailings between September 19, 2010 and April 27, 2011.

• Grand Princess/14-Day Caribbean Collection – Grand Princess offers more islands to explore on a 14-day Caribbean Collection itinerary roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. The ship sails to Aruba, Curaçao, Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and Grand Turk. Grand Princess will offer 15 departures between October 11, 2010 and April 25, 2011.

• Sea Princess/14-Day Sailings from Barbados – Sea Princess will offer a series of alternating 14-day Caribbean voyages from Barbados. The Grand Caribbean Islander route feature calls at Tobago, Grenada, Bonaire, Aruba, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios, Tortola, Antigua, St. Kitts and Dominica. The ship will also offer a Grand Caribbean Adventurer itinerary that features stops at Grenada, Bonaire, Curaçao, Grand Turk, Tortola, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Trinidad. To begin her season, Sea Princess offers a seven-day Southern Caribbean sailing from Fort Lauderdale to Barbados featuring calls at Princess Cays, Tortola, St. Maarten, Martinique and St. Lucia. In spring the ship sails back to Fort Lauderdale from Barbados with a seven-day sailing to Martinique, Dominica, St. Kitts, Tortola and Princess Cays. Sea Princess will sail on 14 departures between October 25, 2010 and April 18, 2011.

Mexican Riviera – Three ships will head “South of the Border” to the fun-filled Mexican Riviera. Cruisers can choose from 37 departures from either Los Angeles or San Francisco.

• Sapphire Princess – Sapphire Princess returns to the sunny Mexican Riviera with 33 departures from the Port of Los Angeles. This popular seven-day roundtrip route takes in favorite Mexico ports with calls in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas. The Sapphire Princess Mexican Riviera season runs from September 25, 2010 to April 30, 2011. The ship will also offer two Baja Sampler sailings, with a four-day cruise to Santa Barbara and Ensenada on December 18, 2010 and a three-day voyage with a call in Ensenada departing on January 5, 2011.

• Sea Princess – Sea Princess will offer one roundtrip sailing from the “City by the Bay,” San Francisco, with a 10-day cruise to Catalina, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas and San Diego, departing on September 29, 2010.

• Star Princess – Star Princess sails on 11-day roundtrip Mexican Riviera voyages from San Francisco featuring calls at Acapulco, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. The ship offers three departures on April 8, 19 and 30, 2011.

Panama Canal – One of the world’s greatest wonders, the Panama Canal changed shipping routes forever when it first connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in 1914. One of the pioneers of Canal cruising, Princess offers a variety of different ways to experience this “must see” feat of engineering. Passengers can choose a convenient 10-day round-trip voyage, a 10-day full transit cruise or an extended 15-day sailing featuring the line’s Two-Day Canal Experience – a full Canal transit plus a day with the ship anchored at Fuerte Amador, on the Canal’s Pacific side. Passengers can take advantage of this extra day in Panama to enjoy a variety of shore excursion options including the Panama Canal Railway, Panama City, Soberania National Park Rainforest or a visit to an authentic Embera Indian Village.

• Panama Canal with Two-Day Experience – Coral Princess, Island Princess and Sea Princess will give passengers additional time to explore Panama with 15-day sailings between Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles or San Francisco. In addition to the Canal transit and additional Panama call at Fuerte Amador, the ships visit Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Huatulco, Puntarenas (Costa Rica), Cartagena and Aruba. A total of 13 sailings run between Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale, while five similar sailings travel between San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale (one 16-day sailing also includes a call in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua). Departures are offered between September 21, 2010 and May 4, 2011.

• Full Transit Sailings – The 10-day Panama Canal Adventurer route between Fort Lauderdale and Acapulco offers a full Canal transit plus visits to Ocho Rios, Fuerte Amador or Cristobal, Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Nicaragua (San Juan del Sur) and Huatulco. Coral Princess offers six sailings on this route, with departures between October 6, 2010 and April 24, 2011.

• Roundtrip Panama Canal – Coral Princess and Island Princess will sail on this classic 10-day itinerary from Fort Lauderdale, which offers a partial Panama Canal transit to Gatun Lake followed by a call in Cristobal, plus calls in the Caribbean ports of Aruba, Cartagena, Limon (Costa Rica) and Ocho Rios. The ships offer 16 departures between October 26, 2010 and April 4, 2011.

Panama Canal sailings are currently open for booking, and Caribbean and Mexican Riviera cruises will be available starting June 11, 2009. Launch Fares for seven-day Caribbean and Mexican Riviera sailings start at $569 per person, and 10-day Panama Canal cruise fares begin at $1,199 per person, based on double occupancy.

Updated

There has been much attention on the new travel requirements for U.S., Canadian and Bermudian citizens that went into effect on June 1, 2009. While the new Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires valid passports for land and sea travel, a final ruling was issued allowing leniency for U.S. citizens traveling on “closed-loop” cruises, i.e., sailings that both originate and terminate in the same U.S. port.
Recent guidance received from the Department of Homeland Security indicates the documentary requirements under WHTI for “closed loop” cruises are not limited to cruises that travel only to contiguous territories or adjacent islands. This means U.S. citizens calling on ports in Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica and Belize will also be exempt from the passport requirement.  
U.S. citizens taking “closed-loop” cruises are not required to have a passport but will need proof of citizenship such as an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization, a passport card, an enhanced driver’s license (EDL) as well as a government-issued photo ID.  Children are also required to bring proof of citizenship and if 16 and over, a photo ID is also required.  Canadian and Bermudian citizens are required to have a passport for air, land and sea travel, including all Carnival cruises.
Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking “closed loop” cruises, we strongly recommend all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel).  Having a passport will enable guests to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port in the event they miss their scheduled embarkation or to fly back to the U.S. if they need to disembark the ship mid-cruise due to an emergency.  
If a cruise begins and ends in different U.S. ports or begins and ends in a foreign port (such as our Alaska and Hawaii cruises), a valid passport or other recognized WHTI-compliant document is required.  A valid passport is required if you are traveling on any of our Europe cruises.
ALL guests need proper proof of citizenship in order to travel and failure to present a valid