Carnival Guinness World Record

Carnival Cruise Lines successfully set a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest beach ball during a “Fun Crowd” event hosted by the cruise line in downtown Dallas on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008.  Two of the giant beach balls, officially measuring 36 feet in diameter as determined by a professional surveyor, were dropped from the tops of buildings and into a crowd of more than 2,500 people.  At approximately 1 p.m., Guinness adjudicator Danny Girton, Jr. officially announced that the record had been set.

The event, which was emceed by Carnival’s Senior Cruise Director John Heald, also featured live music, free food, street performers and a variety of giveaway items including a drawing for five free cruises on the Carnival Ecstasy, which operates year-round Mexico voyages from Galveston.

The Fun Crowd event in Dallas is to be followed next weekend by another one in Philadelphia during which the cruise line will attempt to break the Guinness record for the world’s largest piñata.  Both events are serving as a kick-off to the cruise line’s new branding campaign designed to capture the truly unique essence of the Carnival vacation experience, which embodies spirited and spontaneous fun.  As part of the new campaign, the line has introduced a new tag line – ‘Fun For All. All For Fun.’

Official Press release (abridged) Carnival Cruise Lines dated 27 October 2008.

Celebrity Eclipse Southampton

During one of its preview cruises for travel partners, press and other dignitaries on its new Celebrity Solstice this week, Celebrity Cruises announced that sister ship Celebrity Eclipse – the third in the five-ship Solstice class series – will be based in Southampton, England, in summer 2010, offering cruises to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. The ship also will also hold its launch celebrations in Southampton, where the trend-setting new vessel will be showcased extensively to UK and Ireland consumers and trade partners during a week-long event.

“Celebrity Cruises has enjoyed a strong relationship with the UK and Ireland market and experienced steadily increasing guest numbers in recent years,” said Celebrity’s President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. “Investing in the future of that relationship with Celebrity Eclipse homeporting in Southampton is an exciting development for our business. In 2009, we have an enormous opportunity with our two newest ships – Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox – both based in Europe. Our presence will significantly increase in 2010, as Celebrity Eclipse leads the charge to further maximize the potential of the UK and Ireland market.”

Among the ground-breaking features guests can anticipate onboard each 2,850-guest Solstice-class ship include:

• The Lawn Club, a half-acre recreation area featuring real, growing grass.
• A Hot Glass Show in partnership with The Corning Museum of Glass, offering live glassblowing demonstrations.
• Ten widely varied restaurants, including the main “Grand Epernay” dining room, inspired by old Hollywood glamour, and several specialty venues whose unique ambience is expressly designed to complement the first-class cuisine.
• A new category of accommodations, AquaClass, presenting a range of spa-inspired amenities, including dream-enhancing TV programming, a welcome kit with teeth whitening sample, exclusive access to the Mediterranean-influenced specialty restaurant, Blu, and complimentary access to the Persian Garden within the extensive AquaSpa facilities onboard.
• Veranda-category staterooms whose design was inspired by five women selected for their unique travel and hospitality insights.
• Veranda-category staterooms whose design was inspired by five women selected for their unique travel and hospitality insights.

A wide variety of boutiques and shops, such as the by-appointment-only “Boutique C,” featuring the 86-facet Solstice Diamond, available only on Celebrity’s Solstice-class ships.

“The UK and Ireland remain one of the fastest growing cruise markets in the world,” said Robin Shaw, vice president and managing director of Celebrity Cruises’ UK and Ireland operations. “Having the newest Celebrity ship based out of Southampton in 2010, and dedicated to the UK and Ireland, offers a fresh and contemporary alternative to traditional players. Celebrity Eclipse will set new standards in the large ship luxury market and clearly show the ongoing and industry leading commitment of Celebrity Cruises to the UK and Ireland travel industry.”

Bookings for Celebrity Eclipse will open in March 2009. Itineraries for the new ship are expected to offer traditional Mediterranean favorite destinations, popular northern European cities, and shorter cruise options.

Official Press release (abridged) Celebrity Cruises dated 21 November 2008.

Black Prince to Retire

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has announced it will retire its vessel Black Prince in October 2009. The 441 passenger ship, which was built for the company by Flender Werft in Lubeck in 1966, will operate a series of four Farewell Cruises starting on 9th September from Liverpool, and ending on 16th October in Southampton.

When Black Prince entered service for Fred. Olsen Ltd on 19th October, 1966, it was in the role of a joint passenger/freight ferry operating between the UK and the Canary islands in the winter, and the UK and Norway in the summer. The ship was converted to a full-time cruise ship in 1987 and from February that year became a key player in the cruising market in the UK.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines managing director Mike Rodwell said: “This is a very sad announcement for the company to make as Black Prince is one of the best loved ships that caters to the UK market, and many passengers have cruised on her so often that even they have lost track of the number of holidays they have taken. We know that there will be thousands of passengers who have sailed on her who will be very sad on that final day.”

Black Prince’s Farewell Season will begin on 9th September 2009 with a ten night Around the UK cruise from Liverpool, then a three night mini cruise from Liverpool to Southampton. The season continues with a 10 night Historic Home Ports cruise from Southampton back to Southampton; followed by her final cruise of 14 nights to the Canary Islands. The ship returns to Southampton on Friday 16th October, 2009.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines currently operates a fleet of five ships mostly from UK ports on worldwide itineraries.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen Cruises dated 16th October 2008.

Norwegian Spirit Renovation

Norwegian Cruise Line today announced that Norwegian Spirit is undergoing a multi-million dollar refurbishment focused on enhancing the total guest experience. The 2,376 passenger Freestyle Cruising ship is receiving a total renovation to its public areas, staterooms and suites. These refurbishments are in addition to the enhancements already made as part of Freestyle 2.0, the company’s fleet-wide initiative to further improve the guest experience across all guest touch points from food and beverage to staterooms.

“Norwegian Spirit’s multi-million dollar renovation will enrich the overall guest experience by making significant enhancements to the ship overall,” said Andy Stuart, NCL’s executive vice president and chief product officer. “With the combination of our recent Freestyle 2.0 enhancements and all of the refurbishments being made, Norwegian Spirit will emerge refreshed and revitalized for her winter season sailing seven-day Exotic Western Caribbean cruises from New Orleans.”

Norwegian Spirit’s total refurbishment includes:

• 11 new staterooms are being added, eight of which are balconies;
• one diesel engine is being replaced;
• the Stardust Theater, with a capacity of approximately 700, is receiving all new seating and chairs;
• seating throughout the ship is being reupholstered;
• more than 21,000 sq meters of carpet is being replaced in public areas, stairwells, suites and staterooms;
• new wallpaper is being installed in suites, corridors and public areas;
• new curtains are being added to all suites;
• tile in 300 bathrooms throughout the ship is being replaced;
• all open decks including the main pool, kid’s pool and four hot tubs are undergoing refurbishment;
• the Roman Spa & Fitness Center is being upgraded with new doors, panels and seats;
• more than 60 windows are being replaced;
• the onboard phone system is being upgraded to a state of the art wireless system.

Following the completion of the refurbishment, Norwegian Spirit will re-enter service on November 23, 2008 and begin a series of 21 seven-day Exotic Western Caribbean cruises from New Orleans, her homeport for the winter season, with calls in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Santo Tomas De Castilla, Guatemala; and Belize City, Belize.

Norwegian Spirit offers Freestyle Cruising with the flexibility of 11 restaurants, seven bars and lounges, multiple entertainment venues, two pools, extensive children’s facilities, a sports deck, casino, spa, and a variety of spacious public rooms. The ship joined the NCL fleet in 2004 and underwent a previous dry dock in 2005.

For more information or to book a sailing on Norwegian Spirit, call your travel professional, go to www.ncl.com or contact NCL at 866-234-0292.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is the innovator in cruise travel with a 42-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility.

Today, NCL has the youngest fleet in the industry with 12 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea.

NCL is presently building a new third generation Freestyle Cruising project known as F3, for delivery in 2010.

High resolution, downloadable images are available at www.ncl.com/pressroom. For further information on NCL, visit www.ncl.com or contact NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (866) 234-0292.

Official Press Release Norwegian Cruise Line dated 4th November 2008.

Changes to Balmoral World Cruise

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has increased the number of separate sectors available on Balmoral’s World Cruise of 104 nights, departing from Dover on 14th February 2009.

There are now three new additional sectors available, all with extremely competitive discounts.  Sectors are:-

 Singapore – Yokohama

 Yokohama – Los Angeles

 Los Angeles – Dover

The 22-night middle sector of the world cruise is from Singapore to Yokohama (BL03425) and visits Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and South Korea before reaching Japan.  Prices for this fly/cruise are from £1,798 per person.

Next new sector (BL03456) is of 26 nights from 6th April 2009 and is from Yokohama to Los Angeles, via Alaska, Canada and the USA, priced from £1,982 per person.

Final sector (BL03461) is a US and Caribbean cruise from Los Angeles via Mexico, South America and the Caribbean sailing back to Dover via the Azores, and is priced from £1,575 per person.

These new cruise sectors are in addition to the three sectors already on sale, so there are now six different sectors to choose from.  The original sectors are:-

 Dover – Singapore (32 nights)

 Singapore – Vancouver (40 nights)

 Vancouver – Dover (35 nights)

All prices are per person based on two sharing an inside twin cabin and include all meals and entertainment on board, port and airport taxes and flights where indicated.

Lol Nichols, general sales manager for Fred. Olsen said: “Our world cruises visit such a fantastic array of wonderful ports worldwide, but of course there is a limited number of people with the time and resources to take a complete world cruise.  By increasing the number of sectors available, we are offering a greater choice of more manageable sectors at a very competitive price, so more people can be a part of this wonderful cruise.   These new shorter sectors offer great value for money as all meals and entertainment on board are included in the price.”

For more information see www.fredolsencruises.co.uk  To book call Reservations on 01473 742424 or see your local ABTA travel agent. You can also book online.

Official Press Release Fred Olsen Cruises dated 10th November 2008.

Celebrity Solstice Naming Ceremony

Celebrity Cruises today announced the Godmother of the most widely-heralded cruise ship to enter the market this year, Celebrity Solstice. Atypically, she’s not a star of stage and screen; instead, she ’stars’ in a field of enormous importance to Celebrity Cruises: the world’s oceans. Professor Sharon L. Smith, the first ocean scientist ever to serve as Godmother of a cruise ship, will join Celebrity executives today to name the brand’s sleek, 2,850-guest ship in formal ceremonies at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are genuinely privileged to have such a remarkable woman serve as Godmother of this remarkable ship,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman of Celebrity Cruises and Chairman and CEO of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “Sharon Smith is exceptional in ways well beyond her academic achievements.”

A magna cum laude graduate of Colorado College, Smith earned a Ph.D. in Zoology from Duke University, holds two additional honorary doctorate degrees, and a master’s degree from the University of Auckland, where she also was a Fulbright fellow.

A biological oceanographer, Smith has traveled the world in research expeditions from Polar Regions to the Arabian Sea. She has devoted her career to studying some of the smallest components of food webs, with a particular focus on zooplankton and how their life cycles are tuned to physical forces, such as daylength in the Arctic or summer monsoons in the Arabian Sea. These tiny, twomillimeter- long animals are the biggest source of protein in the oceans, and all oceanic animals – from seabirds to small fish to whales – are ultimately dependent on them for food.

Smith investigates ecosystems by looking at how ocean physics shape the availability of the food supply, and the effects of global warming on food for birds, fish, and baleen whales, among other animals.

Smith served 15 years at the prestigious Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York, studying coastal ocean environments and the impact of nuclear energy projects. In 1993, she joined the faculty of the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science as a Professor of Marine Biology and Fisheries. Recently, she was named Dean of the Undergraduate Program in Marine Science, and also co-directs the university’s Oceans and Human Health Center.
  “If it is possible to eclipse our Godmother’s professional achievements, she has done it in a way that deeply inspires all who know her, as she has conquered cancer…twice,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Dan Hanrahan.

Due in equal parts to her courage and her instincts as a scientist, Smith overcame cancer in 1993, and again in 1996. Her annual mammogram in 1993 turned up a two-millimeter cancerous lesion, about the size of a pencil point. She opted for a mastectomy, and emerged victorious over the malicious disease. And in 1996, she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. But she won that battle, too.

“Women should not feel secure just because there is no family history of the disease,” said Smith. “You have to be your own best advocate and insist on what’s right for you, because you have to live with the possibility of the disease forever.”

Smith’s story is a powerful example of the critical need for basic breast-cancer screenings – and the reason why Celebrity Solstice, in partnership with United Way on November 16, will raise $100,000 for breast cancer programs to assist lower-income women who otherwise couldn’t afford this simple measure that ultimately could save their lives.

This is a disease that affects mothers and daughters, sisters and spouses, and has deep meaning to an unfortunately high percentage of Celebrity Cruises’ employees, guests and travel agent partners,” said Hanrahan. “With our Celebrity brand devoted to offering an entirely genuine experience since its founding, we knew nothing less than someone authentic – a survivor and devoted, outspoken advocate of early detection and research – would do, and we found that in Sharon Smith.”

“All of us at Celebrity Cruises are exceptionally proud and honored to call inspiring ocean scientist, brave cancer survivor, and very special lady, Sharon Smith, Godmother of Celebrity Solstice,” said Fain.

Celebrity Solstice will embark on its inaugural season November 23, on a series of seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. In spring 2009, the stunning new ship will introduce a series of romantic 10 – and 11- night Mediterranean sailings roundtrip from Rome.

Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscale cruise experiences with highly personalized service, exceptional dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity sails in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South America. The line also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Australia, Canada, Europe and South America. Noted for four of the top 10 “Top Cruise Ships in the World” in the large-ship category, as voted by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler (February 2008 readers’ poll), Celebrity’s fleet – including the new Celebrity Solstice – will be joined by Celebrity Equinox in 2009, Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, a fourth Solstice-class ship in 2011, and a fifth in 2012. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111.

Official Press Release Celebrity Cruises dated 14th November 2008.

New Shows for Celebrity

Intricate dance steps, powerful vocals, finely tuned acting and sheer musical talent are soon to be the stars of the shows on some of Celebrity Cruises’ ships by the end of this year. Three new shows on Celebrity Millennium, one new show on Celebrity Century and three previously announced new shows on Celebrity Solstice, have each been created specifically for the tastes of Celebrity’s guests.

Celebrity Millennium’s new shows began running earlier this month. Celebrity Cruises partnered with Qdos Productions, an entertainment production company based in England, to create them. “Simply Ballroom” is a Las Vegas-inspired dance sensation that capitalizes on the popularity of current television dance competitions. The passion of the tango, the majesty of the waltz and sizzling Latin rhythms are presented in fabulous costumes by our world-class ballroom dancers. “Boogie Wonderland” is based on the original 1970s musical from London’s West End that has entertained audiences worldwide by recalling the glittery nuances of disco from that decade. The third new show to play on Celebrity Millennium, “iBroadway,” brings to life some of the greatest Broadway hits in a spectacular new format featuring a large replication of an MP3 player.

Beginning with the November 10, 2008 sailing on Celebrity Century. “Liverpool Knights” will take to the stage. Created in partnership with Mike Moloney Entertainment, an entertainment production company based in Las Vegas, the show offers a mix of a bit of the Beatles, a dash of Monty Python and a touch of Austin Powers. Set in 1964 and staged around a premise that a romance is flourishing between youngsters doing their best to impress one another with song and dance, the show is peppered with classic British humor.

When the brand-new Celebrity Solstice sets sail later this month, three original shows designed exclusively for the ship will dazzle guests. Created in partnership with POET Theatricals, which is led by Michael McPherson and Patrice Marques. McPherson and Marques come from backgrounds that include both performance and production with Franco Dragone, Circo Luci, FOUR: Spirit of the Elements, and the creation and production of the first worldwide touring show of the Lido de Paris. “Solstice” is a European-style theatrical circus built around the clash of day and night. It includes vocalists, physical comedy, breathtaking group acrobatic and aerial performances and other specialty acts, in a celestial celebration. “Ghost Light” depicts the eve of an old Broadway theater’s closing. The cast performing the venue’s final show reminisces about all the productions the theater has hosted, leading to the venue to illuminate once again, in celebration of Broadway favorites past and present. When “Pulse” is onstage, guests aren’t likely to sit still when this show’s central character, “Rhythm Man,” ignites a motion and vocal spectacular driven by the widely varied music and instruments that create the beat.

Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscale cruise experiences with highly personalized service, exceptional dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity sails in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South America. The line also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Australia, Canada, Europe and South America. Noted for four of the top 10 “Top Cruise Ships in the World” in the large-ship category, as voted by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler (February 2008 readers’ poll), Celebrity’s fleet – including the new Celebrity Solstice – will be joined by Celebrity Equinox in 2009, Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, a fourth Solstice-class ship in 2011, and a fifth in 2012. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111.

Official Press Release Celebrity Cruises dated 6th November 2008.

Ruby Princess Christened

In a “ruby red” themed ceremony celebrating romance, Princess Cruises today named its newest ship, Ruby Princess. America’s reigning reality couple, Trista and Ryan Sutter of The Bachelorette did the honors, breaking the traditional bottle of champagne to mark the ship’s launch, and their own fifth anniversary. The new godparents were surrounded by hundreds of guests decked out in ruby red-tie formal attire, and a ruby-haired singer serenaded the crowd. As befitting the most romantic cruise line, and an event celebrating “romantic moments and milestones,” the official naming was followed by the ultimate romantic milestone — a wedding in the midst of the festivities. The California couple joined in matrimony not only had Trista and Ryan as wedding attendants, but the Love Boat captain himself, Gavin MacLeod, gave away the bride.

Tonight the ship hosts a “Ruby Red Tie” gala and sets sail on a two-night cruise for hundreds of VIP guests who will enjoy a special preview of Princess’ newest vessel. During the mini sailing, the ship will host an array of romantic activities, including a massive renewal of vows for all couples tomorrow while the ship is at sea. Ruby Princess then returns to Port Everglades on November 8 for its inaugural seven-day sailing to the Western Caribbean.

“It’s only fitting that as the most romantic cruise line in the industry, we celebrate the naming of our newest ship with a tribute to ?romantic milestones,’” said Alan Buckelew, Princess Cruises president and chief executive officer. “It was exciting to have Trista and Ryan Sutter serve as godparents of Ruby Princess and of course the wedding during the ceremony added an appropriate touch to the festivities.”

Princess Cruises has long been associated with romance on the high seas, dating back to its days as the setting for the now-iconic TV show The Love Boat. Cementing that connection, Princess was just named the “Best Cruise Line for Romance” and “Best Cruise Line for Weddings” in the 2008 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards. The Ruby Princess naming ceremony continued the line’s tradition of romance with godparents Trista and Ryan, who were introduced to America in 2003 on the television hit The Bachelorette.

Trista and Ryan Sutter became America’s reigning romantic couple as millions of viewers followed their courtship and witnessed their nationally televised wedding. To this day they are the only couple from the Bachelor or The Bachelorette shows to actually get married. The ceremony fulfilled the dream of yet another couple as Kip Hickman and Danielle Vurpillat tied the knot as part of the ship’s naming ceremony. The couple, from Dunsmuir, Calif., met on a blind date and expressed their desire to be married onboard Ruby Princess during a recent contest held with national newspaper, USA Today. The minister who officiated the nuptials, Phil Roberts, is also a member of Princess Cruises’ Department of Romance.

The Ruby Princess naming ceremony will be available for viewing on line at www.princess.com beginning November 7.

The 3,080-passenger Ruby Princess includes a dramatic piazza-style atrium featuring small-bite eateries and an ever-changing line-up of street performers. Passengers will also enjoy Princess’ other array of dining venues including the signature Sabatini’s Italian restaurant and the Crown Grill steak house, plus a relaxing oasis just for adults called The Sanctuary. The new ship will also offer the many other innovations that define the Princess experience, including the popular Movies Under the Stars poolside movie screen, Personal Choice Dining featuring traditional or Anytime seating, multiple entertainment venues, a relaxing Asian-style Lotus Spa with fitness center, an extensive children and teen’s center, and a wedding chapel.

During Ruby Princess’ inaugural season she will make seven-day weekly sailings from Fort Lauderdale to the Western Caribbean. Calls include Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico and Princess Cays in the Bahamas. Next spring the ship will move to Europe for 12-day sailings in the Mediterranean and Greek Islands.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company’s website at www.princess.com.

Official Press Release Princess Cruises dated 6th November 2008.

Movies Under the Stars

Princess’ signature “Movies Under the Stars” poolside screens have become such a popular feature since debuting in 2004, that the line will add the dramatic 300-square-foot movie screens feature to most of the fleet over the next several years. Princess was the first cruise line to introduce this unique entertainment experience aboard its ships and Movies Under the Stars has subsequently revolutionized movie-watching at sea.

In addition, this month select ships featuring Movies Under the Stars screens will be broadcasting a cruise industry exclusive concert from number-one-selling recording artist Josh Groban. The “Awake Live” performance will join other popular concerts shown on the ships, and will also offer the unique opportunity for those who enjoy the presentation to purchase a DVD/CD of the concert at the ship’s boutiques.

Movies Under the Stars, which shows movies, concerts, sporting events and other special programming throughout the day and evening, will be installed aboard Golden Princess (May 2009), Dawn Princess (June 2009), Coral Princess (October 2009), Sun Princess (April 2010), Island Princess (October 2010), Diamond Princess (November 2010), and Sapphire Princess (2011).

“Movies Under the Stars has become such a popular part of the Princess entertainment experience on those ships that have it, that we were inspired to expand it across the fleet,” said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. “It’s something the whole family can enjoy.”

The movie screens have been a focal point on Princess ships since first debuting on Caribbean Princess in 2004. They are now featured on Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Ruby Princess, Grand Princess, Star Princess and Sea Princess. The giant LED (Light Emitting Diode) screen is more than 300 square feet in size with a 69,000-watt sound system and has sufficient lighting power to be seen clearly at mid-day and heard even while the ship is moving at full speed — offering passengers a movie experience comparable to the best shoreside movie theater.

In addition to movies, passengers can enjoy a variety of special program on the giant screen, including sporting events such as the Super Bowl and the college football Bowl Championship Series, Academy Awards, video game contests with Nintendo’s Wii, a variety of event concerts with artists such as Tina Turner and Elton John, and even midnight showings of cult films such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

In the evening, the state-of-the-art screen offers a unique way to relax and enjoy current hit films outside on a comfortable poolside lounger with special padded cushions and warm blankets. Princess enhances the viewing experience with signature touches such as complimentary popcorn and a variety of movie-themed cocktail specials and theater-style candy. Nearby eateries also offer a range of casual dining options to round out the ultimate poolside experience.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company’s website at www.princess.com.

Official Press Release Princess Cruises dated 5th November 2008.

Why Not Advertising Campaign

In an unprecedented move, Royal Caribbean International has officially seceded from land and declared itself The Nation of Why Not, in the first new integrated advertising campaign for the global cruise line in nearly ten years. Created in partnership with Royal Caribbean’s lead agency, JWT NY, and a group of WPP agencies, including Mindshare and RMG, the campaign will be rolled out today in North America and globally in 2009 and includes print and online advertising, television commercials, collateral, as well as a new social networking website – www.nationofwhynot.com.

The Nation of Why Not kicks off with two television commercials (30-second and 60- second versions) inviting vacationers to secede from land and become citizens of “the nation.” The tongue-in-cheek spots – a combination of live action and animation – begin November 10, during morning show programming on ABC and NBC television networks, and during primetime programming on ABC and CBS. The commercials highlight Royal Caribbean’s global destinations and innovative onboard amenities, challenging viewers to do things at sea that they could not do on land, such as “Why not ice skate on the equator and climb mountains at sea?” Additionally, print ads will launch in forty newspapers nationwide on Sunday, November 16, 2008.

Breaking with convention, travel and cruise industry professionals will be introduced to The Nation of Why Not on Monday, November 17, with the first edition of “The Why Not Herald,” an insert in key travel trade publications across the United States and Canada. Subsequent editions will feature the new brand campaign’s print advertisements.

“The Nation of Why Not is a place where innovation and imagination rule supreme,” stated Adam Goldstein, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “The founding of The Nation of Why Not is not a revolution, but an evolution of Royal Caribbean’s legacy of presenting guests with a variety of unexpected possibilities onboard, such as rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, and surf simulators, which have always prompted the idea of ‘why not?’”

The citizens of The Nation of Why Not – from guests, cruise and shore-side staff to travel agents, architects, designers and builders – bring the concept of “Why Not?” to life by participating in, delivering and conceptualizing the global cruise line’s award-winning Gold Anchor service and signature onboard innovations. The new brand campaign not only resonates with Royal Caribbean cruisers, but is a natural fit within the existing company culture, which fosters creativity and dedication to developing the most innovative cruise ships in the world. Nine years ago the “Get Out There” campaign successfully redefined society’s perceptions about cruising and propelled Royal Caribbean to become the leader of the active cruise vacation market; today the Why Not? campaign connects the world to The Nation of Why Not’s “anything is possible” state-of-mind.

“JWT is honored to team-up with Royal Caribbean, always a trailblazer in the industry, to launch this new brand,” stated Ty Montague, Chief Creative Officer & Co-President, JWT. “The campaign celebrates the pioneering spirit of the company and shows how that spirit releases the Why Not in all of us. It also reflects the great community of people – crew, cruisers and travel agents – that Royal Caribbean has built up over the years and gives them all a sense of belonging as citizens in the Nation.”

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