CruiseSource Cruise News – July 6, 2012

Mickey loves Miami in this week’s edition of Cruise News. Also, a renowned luxury player expands its reach beyond the South Pacific. Plus, great news for foodies: Norwegian Breakaway announces its palate of exciting celebrity-chef restaurants, and kosher food abounds on SeaDream charters.

New Opportunities for Small Ship Cruising in Caribbean

Luxury Paul Gauguin Ship, Tere Moana, Now Open for Bookings
One of the cruise industry’s most distinguished luxury players is coming to the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe, and it’s now open for booking. Paul Gauguin Cruises is launching the m/v Tere Moana this December, after completing a multifaceted renovation. The Moana will specialize in warm-weather destinations, with unique voyages to the Caribbean and the Panama Canal region, as well as classic transatlantic crossings.

Known for its small luxury ship the Paul Gauguin, which calls the South Pacific home, The Moana will offer an intimate ambiance, a first-class cruising experience , extraordinary all-inclusive value, with gratuities, soft drinks, select wines and spirits, and more included.

In celebration of The Moana, Paul Gauguin Cruises is offering 50% off standard cruise fares for all 2012-2013 voyages of The Moana. Plus, if you are a past guest of The Gauguin, you will receive an additional 5% savings off their final cruise fare as members of the Paul Gauguin Society. Not only that, if you book select sailings by September 1, 2012, you’ll receive double the Society savings, for a total reduction of 10% off final cruise fares.

In the tradition of The Gauguin, The Moana will specialize in warm-weather destinations, with an emphasis on delivering unique voyages that larger ships cannot offer and exploring hidden ports throughout these regions. The ship will sail during the summer months in Europe and winter months in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Demand for space aboard The Moana is already high. With only 90 guests aboard each sailing, it is sure to fill up fast.

Disney to Offer First Miami Departures, New Europe Ports in 2013

Big news for Disney and the Port of Miami: starting in 2013 (actually the December 23, 2012, holiday sailing), Disney Cruise Line will operate sailings from Miami for the first time. The company offers one six- and one seven-night Caribbean sailing before assuming a schedule of three-, four- and five-night cruises from Miami to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean. Ports of call include Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Key West, Nassau and Castaway Cay. The cruises will be operated by the Disney Wonder or Disney Magic.

Disney also is expanding its European offerings in 2013. Beginning June 1, the Disney Magic returns to Europe for a four-night, seven- and 12-night sailings. The new 12-night sailings visit destinations such as Venice, Italy, and Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast on one itinerary and Ephesus, Turkey, and the Greek Isles including Athens, on another. Each itinerary will offer a sailing departing in June and another departing in July. All itineraries depart from Barcelona.

With its fleet of four ships, Disney Cruise Line will also offer itineraries out of the Caribbean and Alaska for 2013.

Norwegian Breakaway Will Be “New York’s Ship”

“Breakaway” with a Food Network Star, and Broadway Comes to “New York’s Ship”

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway, which will begin sailing out of New York next May, will have a Food Network star heading three of its restaurants.

Geoffrey Zakarian will run the fine-dining Ocean Blue by Geoffrey Zakarian; The Raw Bar, and Ocean Blue on the Waterfront, a casual dining option. Ocean Blue is envisioned as a luxury seafood dining experience, utilizing all of the ingredients and techniques that Zakarian would employ in a land-based establishment, such as his New York restaurants, The Lambs Club and The National.

Zakarian won last season’s “The Next Iron Chef, Super Chefs” on Food Network. He also appears on “Iron Chef America,” is a judge on “Chopped” and talks about his favorite foods on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.”

Breakaway will be the largest ship ever to home port in New York City. The 4,000-passenger ship will sail weekly seven-day cruises to Bermuda in the summer. From October through April, the ship will sail to the Bahamas, Florida and the southern Caribbean.

Touting itself as “New York’s ship,” Norwegian also announced three Broadway shows will entertain passengers on Breakaway. They include “Rock of Ages,” ballroom-supercharged “Burn the Floor,” and “Cirque Dreams and Dinner Jungle Fantasy.”

Also noted: Norwegian’s “Kids Sail Free” offer ends on July 7th. Book a select Fall 2012 cruise between June 28th – July 7th, and kids under 18 sailing as a third or fourth guest in the stateroom sail free! The offer is valid on a variety of Norwegian ships and itineraries.

SeaDream to Offer Glatt-Kosher Menu on Private Charters

As more and more families are taking traditional family celebrations to the high seas, SeaDream Yacht Club will be there for those who wish to ensure Glatt-Kosher cuisine for their family and friends to enjoy on private charters. The line’s Executive Chef, Sudesh Kishore has created a brand new menu featuring traditional and modern Glatt-Kosher dishes.

Beginning this fall, round-trip voyages sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, will be able to accommodate kosher private charter wedding, bar/bat mitzvahs, charity benefits and corporate and personal events.