ALASKA ranked as the most popular cruise
destination in Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates' 2008 Travel
Trends Survey. Alaska beat out the Western, Southern, and Eastern
Caribbean, and Europe, to take the top slot. Mediterranean cruising
was the fifth most popular international destinations category --
it was ranked #15 in 2004 and #10 in 2007 -- beating out
traditional, land-based favorites such as London; Montego Bay,
Jamaica; and several Mexican destinations. Carlson said in a
statement that "not only is there greater [Mediterranean cruise]
inventory than ever before, many U.S. travelers are finding this is
the way to travel to Europe in order to get the most for their
money as possible."
PRINCESS
CRUISES will expand its Chef's Table dining program to
most of its fleet over the next few months, citing positive
reception on the Emerald Princess, the Crown Princess and the
Caribbean Princess, where it is currently available. The $75 per
person meal offers guests a dining event that begins with
appetizers and cocktails in the ship's galley and then continues
with a custom-designed, multi-course tasting dinner paired with
wine in the main dining room with the ship's executive chef. The
meal can be reserved by up to 10 passengers per night. It will
debut aboard most vessels in the fleet in early 2008, with the
exception of the line's smaller ships, the Tahitian Princess, the
Pacific Princess and the Royal Princess.
CRYSTAL
CRUISES will offer three golf theme cruises in 2008: An
April cruise in the Mediterranean, an early November cruise to the
Canary Islands and a late September cruise along the coast of
Canada and New England. The luxury line said it would offer
championship golf ashore and special events on board; professional
golfers will meet Crystal guests at some golf courses to offer
group and private instruction. Crystal said its staff would handle
every detail of the optional shoreside golf excursions, including
tee times; tipping and transportation for caddies and carts; and
storing and cleaning guests' golf clubs and shoes after each
round.
NCL
CORP. closed the $1 billion cash equity investment deal
with private equity group Apollo Management on Jan. 7. Apollo is
now a 50% owner of NCL Corp. through its affiliates NCL Investment
Ltd. and NCL Investment II Ltd.; Star Cruises, NCL's previous sole
shareholder, has retained all of its existing shares in NCL and
remains the other 50% owner. Apollo will name the majority of the
NCL board of directors with certain consent rights previously
retained by Star, NCL said. "With the Apollo investment, NCL is now
in the strongest financial condition we have ever enjoyed in our
41-year history," said NCL Corp.'s president and CEO Colin Veitch
in a statement.
Cruise
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