Royalty to attend launch of MSC Poesia

In the presence of Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, MSC Cruises’ most exciting and anticipated ship to date, MSC Poesia, will make her debut in Dover on 5th April 2008.

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent will be joining Hollywood icon, Sophia Loren, godmother to the new ship, at the magnificent star studded launch event marking the first ever launch of an MSC Cruises ship outside of Italy.

As part of the ‘Musica’ class, the MSC Poesia, which translates as poetry, will see her first night in Dover celebrated by live performances from headline acts including the celebrated Andrea Bocelli.

At 89,600 tonnes and 1275 cabins with double occupancy for 2,550 passengers, MSC Poesia has a wonderful blend of cutting edge technology, elegant surroundings, exciting entertainment venues and tantalising dining opportunities. MSC Poesia will be a sister ship to the popular MSC Orchestra and MSC Musica (launched in 2007 and 2006 respectively). She will become the ninth ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, which has experienced the industry’s largest fleet expansion in the last three years.

After the launch event, she will set sail on her 13 night pre-inaugural voyage from Dover to Venice, visiting Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, and finally Italy, arriving in Venice where she will be positioned for the summer of 2008.

Find out more about MSC Cruises with Hays Travel Cruise the Cruise Experts.

Silversea Cruises to bring luxury to expedition market

Silversea Cruises is introducing luxury to the expedition market with a new ship that will sail its inaugural cruise from London in June.

The cruiseline has bought the World Discoverer from Society Expeditions to sail polar itineraries

The ship, which has yet to be named, will be in London for inaugural events on June 12, It will then sail to the Orkney, Shetland and Faro Islands and Jan Mayen, before touring the Arctic Circle and Greenland for the summer. It will reposition to South America and then Antarctica for autumn and winter.

Find out more about Silversea cruises with Hays Travel Cruise - The Cruise experts.

P&O Cruises announces the Godmother for Ventura

DAME HELEN MIRREN TO NAME BRITAIN'S LARGEST SUPERLINER

- with a little champagne bottle-breaking help from the Royal Marines

British icon and Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren is to name the largest superliner designed exclusively for Britain, Ventura the latest addition to P&O Cruises fleet. The spectacular evening naming ceremony, with Dame Helen as the ship's Godmother, will take place in Southampton on April 16, prior to Ventura's maiden cruise to the Mediterranean.



But in a break with tradition, instead of Dame Helen simply pressing a button to send a cradled Tattinger champagne bottle towards the ship, she will command a crack team of Royal Marine Commandos to assist her in naming Ventura in a dramatic fashion.

In keeping with Ventura's contemporary and innovative values, her naming ceremony will be a departure from tradition. As well as Dame Helen's customary champagne naming, the celebration will encompass an exciting show with dramatic surprises.



On board, 1,500 guests will be invited including Ventura's consultant chef, Marco Pierre White, and children's favourite, Noddy. The occasion will benefit three children's charities supported by Dame Helen and P&O Cruises - Barnardos, Kid's Comapny and Naomi House.

Find out more about the Ventura with Hays Travel Cruise

"No Limit Texas Hold'em" poker tournament on the Island Star

Island Cruises are holding a ‘No Limit Texas Hold’em’ poker tournament* aboard the Island Star on 28th March ’08 with a guaranteed prize fund of £20,000**.

Guests get the opportunity to not only win some cash, but also experience some great ports in the Mediterranean. When departing 28th March ’08 the Island Star will be leaving Palma and visiting Livorno for Florence & Pisa, Genoa for Milan, Marseille, Barcelona and Valencia before returning to Palma.

The player package starts from just £999 and includes all of the following:

7-night Mediterranean cruise
En-suite accommodation in the best available outside cabin
Entry in to the Texas Hold’em tournament
Champagne in your cabin on arrival
Cocktail parties and bridge visit
24-hour dining including one free visit to specialty restaurant
Return flights to/from Palma/Gatwick, other regional airports available at a supplement†
Transfers to/from ship/airport
All tips onboard

Guests can also take along a non-playing guest and they can share a cabin and join in the fun from just £529. This includes all the above except entry into the tournament.

Must be booked by Thursday 31st January 2008.

Find out more about Island Cruises with Hays Travel Cruise - the cruise experts

Independence of the seas nears completion

With only 15 weeks until delivery, Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Independence of the Seas, took to the seas for the first time on Friday 11th January having reached an 85% complete build status.

The ship, currently under construction in Turku, Finland at the Aker Yard ship yard, will be the third ship in the cruise line’s world record-breaking Freedom-class of ships.

Large sections of Independence of the Seas are nearing completion as an army of over 1,700 workers is currently working in temperatures several degrees below zero with snow forecast. Areas of the ship currently being worked on include the main dining room, the theatre and the upper deck pool area. The ship will be delivered to Royal Caribbean International in late April 2008, two weeks ahead of schedule.

She will arrive in Southampton in April 2008 for inaugural celebrations in the UK before becoming the first ever newbuild ship in the Royal Caribbean International fleet to be based in Europe.

Royal Caribbean International has also announced that Independence of the Seas will becoming into service two weeks earlier due to works being completed ahead of schedule, meaning an additional two sailings are now available on board the new ship from the beginning of May 2008. The new sailings including a four night Cork cruise that departs on 2nd May, sailing from Southampton to Cork and back to Southampton from £449 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin), and an 11 night Canary Islands cruise that departs on 6th May, calling at Madeira (Portugal), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Gran Canaria (Canary Islands), Lanzarote (Canary Islands), Lisbon (Portugal) and Vigo (Spain) from £897 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin).

Activities onboard Independence of the Seas will include the popular innovations already found on her sister-ships, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, including the FlowRider surf simulator; the wet and wild H20 Zone children’s water park; cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 feet above the ocean; an ice-skating rink; a boxing ring; and the 1,215-square-foot Presidential Family Suite, which sleeps up to 14 people.

Find out more about the Independence of the Seas with Hays Travel Cruise - the cruise experts

Countdown Ventura - 94 days to go

Ventura’s rooms will be contemporary and stylish, providing you with the ultimate retreat.


Featuring contemporary art on canvas, fashionable bed linen and those all-important designer touches, Ventura’s accommodation will have a boutique hotel feel.

You will find Ventura’s architects and designers have thought of every detail. An in-cabin entertainment system will come complete with a flat panel television. In cabin pamper packs will add to the sense of luxury. While teak balcony furniture will afford a timeless elegance to her 880 balcony cabins.

Even better, your cabin will always be spick and span. Your friendly, yet discreet cabin steward will be on hand to make the bed, keep your private bathroom gleaming and attend to any room service or laundry requests.

Find out more about the Ventura with Hays Travel Cruise - The Cruise Experts.

Silversea announce 2009 worldwide schedule

Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises has announced its 2009 worldwide voyage schedule. The company's four award-winning, all-suite ships are set to visit over 320 different ports in 108 countries on a diverse schedule of over 140 itineraries ranging from seven to 92 days.

Of special note is the company's first-ever Grand Pacific Voyage, a 92-day extended odyssey that explores the azure waters and pristine beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Following a diverse route from Los Angeles to Papeete, Sydney and the Far East, with final stops in Alaska and Vancouver, Silver Shadow will visit 45 ports, 15 countries and both hemispheres on this epic journey.

Other highlights include return visits to Alaska plus 10 new destinations: Szczecin (pronounced Stettin, as it was once known), Poland; Malmo, Sweden; Skagen, Denmark; Gozo Island, Malta; Symi, Greece; Koper, Slovenia; Olhahali Island, Maldives; Nemuro, Japan; Visakhapatnam and New Mangalore, India.

SILVER CLOUD
Silver Cloud starts the year exploring South America before heading to the most exclusive destinations of the Caribbean. From late May through to September, the intimate 296-guest ship will be positioned in Northern Europe and the Baltic offering 11 cruises of seven to 15 days, including several voyages featuring three-day, two-night stopovers in historic St. Petersburg. Other highlights include Voyage 1920, offering inaugural calls to Szczecin, Poland, once considered the "Paris of the North"; Sweden's beautiful Malmo, home of famous 15th-century Malmohus Castle; and Skagen, Denmark, a picturesque resort town and 19th-century colony for artists and writers. The ship heads back to the Caribbean and South America for the autumn.

SILVER WIND
The 296-guest Silver Wind begins 2009 with cruises to Africa, the Seychelles and the Arabian Peninsula, highlighted by inaugural calls to the sunny beaches of uninhabited Olhahali Island in the Maldives and India's less-travelled Visakhapatnam and New Mangalore, both gateways to important temple sites.

From mid-April to early November, the ultra-luxury ship will traverse the Mediterranean on over 20 different itineraries ranging from seven to 12 days.

Of special interest to Formula One racing enthusiasts is a Voyage, which overnights in Monte Carlo during the Grand Prix. Other highlights include return visits to Israel's popular coastal cities of Haifa and Ashdod, also on offer is the new destination of Gozo Island, second largest of the Maltese Islands, known for its impressive citadel and the Ggantija prehistoric temples. The ship repositions to Africa's east coast and the Sechelles for the autumn.

SILVER SHADOW
The 382-guest Silver Shadow kicks off the year with a series of mostly 9-day Caribbean voyages before transiting the Panama Canal to Los Angeles to embark on its 92-day Grand Pacific Voyage from March to June. Of special interest to nature-lovers is an inaugural call on May 18 to Nemuro, Japan, home of the magnificent Shunkunitai Wild Bird Sanctuary. On the schedule for the summer is Alaska, with a series of 12 cruises ranging from seven to 12 days, including several round-trip departures from San Francisco and Vancouver. During the balance of the year, Silver Shadow transits the Panama Canal and continues on a course exploring the warm waters and sunny beaches of the Caribbean.

SILVER WHISPER
For the 382-guest Silver Whisper, the year opens with the sights, sounds and flavours of Australia, New Zealand, the Far East and South Pacific featured on eight itineraries, ranging from nine to 18 days. Highlights include extended overnight stays in Auckland, Sydney, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tianjin (Beijing), and Shanghai. On a pair of spring repositioning cruises, Silver Whisper will journey from Singapore to Dubai, with an overnight stay in vibrant Mumbai, followed by a Dubai-to-Athens voyage that overnights in Dubai and includes overnight visits to Safaga and Aqaba, gateways to some of the world's most treasured archaeological sites.

An extended summer season in the Mediterranean offers the opportunity to explore the region in absolute luxury with 22 mostly seven-day voyages, many of which can be combined for a more expansive journey without duplicating any ports. Highlights include two new destinations for Silversea: the Greek island of Symi, renowned for its picture-postcard beauty, and Koper, Slovenia, famous for its medieval architecture and fascinating Postonja Caves.

Silver Whisper wraps up the year exploring the Arabian Peninsula, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Find out more about Silversea Cruises with Hays Travel the cruise experts