Carnival Sunrise Arrives

Carnival Triumph entered the shipyard at Cadiz and left a month later as Carnival Sunrise, and today she reentered service at Norfolk with a host of new and upgraded features, including her new identity.

The complete story appeared in the April 29 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Up in the Air

As Royal Caribbean International gets ready to open Perfect Day at Coco Cay next month, some of the features are having soft openings. Some visitors are getting to see the island like no others from a tethered helium balloon 450 feet above the island. From the vantage point, they can see the beautiful beaches (which have always been an attraction), the Oasis lagoon (the largest freshwater swimming pool in the Caribbean, which is now open) and the pier where ships are now docking.

Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

A Milestone in Barcelona

The cruise industry took a major step forward today when AIDAnova arrived in Barcelona to begin its summer Mediterranean season and was the first LNG-powered cruise ship to refuel at the important Mediterranean port. AIDAnova is the first cruise ship to be able to operate on clean-burning Liquified Natural Gas both at sea and in port.

AIDAnova refueling today at Barcelona

Photo courtesy of Carnival Corp. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Custom Refreshment

Happy Koningsdag! Saturday is the biggest national holiday celebration in the Netherlands - King's Day, celebrating His Majesty King Willem-Alexander's official birthday, and the entire country celebrates and wears orange (the national color). Holland American, too, celebrates their heritage by observing the holiday and asking everyone to wear orange (and supplying some things passengers may not have packed, like orange wigs).

You know that you've really arrived, however, when your beer supplier, Dutch brewer Heineken, supplies you with custom-labeled bottles for the occasion. The orange-wrapped bottles have the Holland America logo and the King's Day date.

Details appeared in the April 26 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Photo courtesy of Holland America Line. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Stanley Has a Friend

Stanley has a new friend. Princess Cruises' plush mascot, Stanley, named after the line's founder (Stanley B. McDonald), has a new plush friend. He's a moose created to celebrate Princess' 50th anniversary of sailing to Alaska.

Details appeared in the April 26 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Photo courtesy of Princess Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.