Travelers of all ages and fitness levels can now join the Wii revolution aboard Norwegian and Princess cruise ships. Nintendo of America has teamed with both cruise lines to bring the popular Wii Fit experience to passengers. A variety of active video game contests and tournaments aboard the ships showcase one’s athletic skill in four categories, including yoga, aerobics, strength training and balance. The events are led by crew members specially trained by Nintendo this spring. Wii Fit contests are being held in a variety of locations onboard, including ship atriums, poolside (on giant screens where available) and other public places.

Ultra luxury spa staterooms make debut on Holland America’s ms Eurodam

Luxury reaches new heights on the ms Eurodam, Holland America’s latest ship, with 56 spa staterooms located on the two highest decks. In addition to being located close to the ship’s renowned Greenhouse Spa and Salon, the rooms feature their own spa ambiance with organic cotton bathrobes and slippers, a Burmese teak mat for baths and showers, an invigorating showerhead, body buff Loofah Mitt and aroma therapy bath salts. The spa staterooms also feature an iPod docking station, yoga mat, a pedometer for use aboard the ship, fitness DVD, mini bar stocked with specialty waters, cut fruit and a spa concierge to book treatments. Rooms are decorated with soft earth-tone hues and bright, fresh green accents and a water feature provides a natural, soothing ambient background sound. The nightly turn-down service includes organic chocolate truffles, orchids and special Belgian chocolates fused with herbs known for their calming and relaxing benefits. Guests staying in the spa staterooms can order exclusive Greenhouse Spa packages in advance. These include Body of Indulgence with a hot stone massage and facial bamboo massage; Skin Renewal with facial rejuvenation acupuncture and marine facial; His Sanctuary with grooming treatment, shave and deep tissue massage; and Bliss for Two couple’s cabana massages.

More penthouses being added to the already posh Crystal Serenity

With more upscale cruisers looking for penthouse accommodations, Crystal Cruises is responding by remodeling the Crystal Serenity in November by adding eight new such suites. While many cruise ships are adding more rooms into limited space, the Serenity construction project will actually the ship’s guest capacity.

The 403 square-foot penthouses feature personal butler service, a large private verandah, sizeable living area, complimentary bar stocked with wine and liquor, Jacuzzi tub and separate shower, walk-in closet, flat screen television, DVD and CD player, Riedel glassware and complimentary pressing. Penthouse guests also can enjoy 24-hour in-stateroom dining from the Crystal dining room, or they can order-in from the ship’s specialty restaurants during dining hours.

After the dry dock conversion, the Serenity penthouses increase to 72, as well as 32 penthouse suites and four lavish 1,345 square-foot Crystal penthouses. Four of the new penthouses will connect with penthouse suites.

Private villas on Norwegian Gem offer plenty of private space for families and others

Norwegian Cruise Lines has taken cabin envy to a whole new level with the introduction of 4,390 square-foot Garden Villa staterooms aboard the new NCL Gem cruise ship. Each villa has three bedrooms and bathrooms, a living and dining room, whirlpool, wet bar and steam room. A shared courtyard and pool is surrounded by luxurious patio furniture and lush, potted plants. The villas are being targeted toward multi-generational families, reunion groups and friends who want to cruise together and share private space. NCL’s new Freestyle 2.0 program aboard the ship allows guests to dine at any of the 10 restaurants aboard the ship whenever. Guests can book dinner reservations or just show up. Television screens around the ship tell one where tables are available.

New ResortCompete.com Site for All-Inclusives Going Strong

All-inclusive resorts have a natural appeal for cruises who like the all-inclusive nature of cruising, but are ready to try something different. ResortCompete provides detailed information about individual resorts, and provides the same competitive quotes from sellers to help you get the best deal. Check it out today at: ResortCompete.com

Christine McCabe of Harbor Light Cruises has been a CruiseCompete member-agent for more than three years. Her daughter was recently diagnosed with Intracranial Hypertension (IH), a serious neurological disorder that causes excruciating headaches and blindness. There is no known cure.

Please join Chris on a special 7-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the new MSC Orchestra to help raise funds and awareness to help fund the IH Research Foundation (www.ihrfoundation.org).

This is a theme cruise featuring past stars of Major League Baseball. Great rates are available, and kids cruise free! For more information, please contact her by phone at 732-477-3385 or e-mail at chris@harborlightcruises.com.

Ruby Princess to Set Sail Earlier than Expected

Princess Cruises just announced the line’s newest ship, the Ruby Princess, is being delivered earlier than previously expected. Her inaugural voyage will now embark on November 8, for a seven-day Western Caribbean sailing, taking passengers to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Princess Cays. If they wish, passengers who booked a trip on the Ruby Princess’ previously scheduled inaugural cruise will have the opportunity to change their cruise to the new inaugural voyage date. Duplicate bookings have been made for all passengers, guaranteeing the same cabin on the new voyage.

Regent Entertainment Now Includes Ballroom Dancers, Industry’s Largest Live Orchestras

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has completed a multi-million dollar entertainment upgrade aboard three of its ships, including professional ballroom dance teams, exciting new productions and the largest live orchestra aboard any luxury cruise line. Capitalizing on the current ballroom dancing craze, several shows feature Regent dancers performing original choreography that showcases Latin, swing, waltz and other dance styles. The dancers offer complimentary lessons for guests on days at sea. The new shows include cabaret revues and five feature productions, including the musical “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” and “Romance Romance”. The nine-piece Regent Signature Orchestra lends concert-quality support to the shows aboard the Seven Seas Mariner, Voyager and Navigator cruise ships.

Crystal Wine and Food Festival Cruise Features European Flair

Crystal Cruises guests will savor 14 special culinary excursions during the Crystal Serenity’s Wine and Food Festival cruise this summer, from July 31 to August 12. The voyage includes a delicious tour of coastal France, Italy, Spain, Greece and Croatia – a region known for its bountiful delicacies. Travelers will immerse themselves in the rich flavors and the culinary heritage specific to each region.

Shore tours include wine tasting in four countries and multi-course meals in spectacular settings such as the Isle of Capri and Dubrovnik’s ancient sea port. New excursions include:

• The underground Cordorniu Cava Cellars and a visit to Montserrat and its famous Benedictine monastery;
• The Tuscan village of Monte Carlo to taste local wines, cheeses and extra-virgin olive oils;
• A cooking class at a scenic country farm, where guests learn to prepare traditional Roman dishes including fresh fettuccini;
• A farmhouse visit to see how mozzarella and limoncello are made, plus lunch at a deluxe Relais hotel.
• Immersion into the cultivation of Croatia’s world-famous Stone oysters, including sampling;
• Sampling of Umbrian wines in Orvieto’s regional wine house in the underground passages of a former convent; and,
• Preparation and sampling of Italian cuisine during a hands-on cooking lesson in Florence.

Onboard highlights include cooking demonstrations and a chef’s dinner by world-renowned Italian chef Gualtiero Marchesi, the first chef in Italy to be awarded three coveted Michelin Stars. Master Sommelier Robert Bath and wine educator Philip di Belardino also will be aboard for wine tasting and educational sessions.

Parents taking a cruise with tween or teenage children know these kids enjoy their space as much at sea as they do at home. The world’s most popular cruise lines have long recognized this and now offer more special hangouts and activities exclusively for them than ever before.

Combine this space with plenty of activities for the whole family and it is easy to see why cruises make for memorable family vacations, no matter what one’s age. Special pricing for children up to 17 years-old generally applies on many cruises which makes a cruise a true travel value.

For example, a family of four (2 adults, 2 children) can enjoy an early December seven-night cruise with cabin credits, complimentary photos and a special gift to the Western Caribbean in a verandah cabin, with Holland America for $2,380.00, including taxes, fees and fuel surcharges . That is less than $85. Per person, per day for the family’s onboard verandah cabin accommodations, 24/7 room service for those hungry teenagers, all dining options and most entertainment – including plenty for tweens and teens to do.

The following is a sample of the coolest places for older youth to hang out at sea in safe and secure settings:

Holland America Line

For the past two years, teens traveling on HAL cruise ships have enjoyed the Loft, a special lounge area designed to resemble a New York artist’s studio. The setting includes music and videos, comfortable furniture, Internet access stations, video games and karaoke, big screen TVs and more. A secluded passageway leads upstairs to the Oasis, a teens-only sundeck featuring a nine-foot waterfall and cooling cave. Teens can sunbathe during the day and dance under the stars at night to the beat of a state-of-the-art sound system and laser show.

Royal Caribbean International

The cruise line’s Voyager Class ships are a floating paradise for teenagers. The Living Room invites kids to hangout during the day, stocked with computers, books and games. The Back Deck provides teens with a place to sunbathe together and enjoy a buffet dinner. Fuel, the teens-only disco, is open until 2 a.m. and also provides a great place to mingle and meet new friends.

Norwegian Cruise Line

The Norwegian Dawn and Jewel feature the line’s most elaborate and largest teen clubs. The Underground lounge features computers, big-screen TVs and dance floor. Youth 17-and-under have their own cinema for nightly movies or an afternoon matinee.

Disney Cruise Line

A little Disney magic makes cruising memorable for teens too. They are invited to spend time with their peers in the Aloft lounge on the Disney Wonder and The Stack on the Disney Magic. Both of these teen-only hangouts feature music, movies, video games, plasma TVs, dance floor, Internet cafe and other activities. In addition, Disney hosts the H2O Splashdown and Party in Paradise farewell bash exclusively for teens.

Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival’s youth-oriented programming was recently expanded to include exclusive new Circle C clubs for 12-14 year-olds. Each features a dance floor, high-tech sound and lighting, monster plasma TVs with movies and music videos, touch screen jukeboxes and gaming centers with 20-inch plasma game screens. A number of ships have already been retrofitted with Circle C facilities, with several more are scheduled for this year and the entire fleet by 2010. Carnival’s Club 02 facilities continue to be very popular with teen’s ages 15-17 year-olds. In addition to a pulsating dance floor and the latest music and lighting systems, Club O2 features a teen-oriented library and lounge with non-alcoholic specialty drinks.

Princess Cruises

The cruise line’s Grand Class ships have the largest facilities for teens. The Off Limits teen center includes plenty of games, movies, big-screen TVs and jukeboxes. On the Grand, Golden and Star Princess, teens can use their own Jacuzzi and sun deck.

Celebrity Cruises

This cruise line’s Celebrity X-Club Youth Program does offer teens plenty to do, especially during the summer and holiday family travel seasons. This includes supervised theme parties, pool games, movies, sports tournaments, karaoke, talent shows, fitness activities and play stations.

Regent Seven Seas

Ultra-luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas also offers teen programs. Regent’s Club Mariner operates during the summer and select holiday sailings and gives tween and teen travelers the opportunity to enjoy a variety of exciting, interactive activities, including whale watching in Alaska and artist classes on tropical cruises, plus other unique adventure and cultural opportunities.

Crystal Cruises

Select Crystal sailings during the summer and holidays also offer older youth things to do without their parents on ultra-luxury cruises. These include games, arts and crafts, video games and other activities under the supervision of experienced activities directors. The Crystal Symphony and Serenity also feature Waves, a teen video arcade.

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The grass really will be greener on a cruise vacation aboard the Celebrity Solstice, scheduled for launch this December. Something is sprouting on the luxury cruise ship’s top deck: real, growing grass! The turf is the highlight of the ship’s breakthrough “Lawn Club” – an industry-first carefully developed by the cruise line in conjunction with University of Florida landscape architects and irrigation specialists. Guests visiting the half-acre Club will be invited to enjoy bocce ball and croquet, practice their putting and picnic, among other leisures. In addition, The Patio on the Lawn will offer sitting areas with casual country club charm and a special coffee car service – plus the new Hot Glass Show, presented in collaboration with The Corning Museum of Glass. The area also features the Sunset Bar, enhanced by the natural grass of The Lawn Club and featuring stunning breathtaking views as the Solstice crisscrosses the Caribbean Sea.

Princess Alaska cruises expands land excursions

Recognizing an Alaska cruise is an once-in-a-lifetime adventure for so many travelers; Princess Cruises continually expands its Adventures Ashore program with new and exhilarating excursions each year. 2008 is no exception, with 37 new tour options available to cruisers. Some of the most intriguing include:

· An exclusive, private whale-watching encounter in Juneau in groups of 10 people or less;

· A five-course Alaskan feast served in a private club dining room overlooking the Ketchikan harbor;

· A family-oriented Bear Creek zipline eco-adventure through the Alaskan rainforest;

· Bering Sea crab fisherman’s tour including the chance to sail aboard a modified commercial fishing vessel featured on the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch show.

· A walking tour of Skagway, guided by one of the madams of the Red Onion Saloon who takes guests back to the gold-rush era and once-infamous red-light district.

· A cruise through ice-berg laced waters to visit the Columbia glacier, the state’s largest tidewater ice field at 435 square miles – plus wildlife viewing, including whales, harbor seals, sea otters, sea lions and a variety of birds.

· A sea kayaking adventure on Resurrection Bay, one of the area’s premiere destinations, featuring Kenai Fjords National Park and up-close visits with sea otters, eagles, porpoises, leaping salmon and sea birds.

A total of eight Princess ships will be cruising the scenic waters of Alaska this year, with a combined 136 departures. All of the 2008 Gulf of Alaska cruises include a visit to Glacier Bay. Princess will take more people to visit this ice and sea spectacle than any other cruise line this year.