Welcome!
Latest Travel News
Featured Destinations
Planning Your Vacation
Links to Travel Resources
Understanding Travel Insurance
About Us
Contact Us
What our clients are saying...
Home
LATEST TRAVEL NEWS
Disney Plans to Offer an Inside Cabin with a View of the Ocean!
Disney says it will install high-definition cameras around the exterior of the 2,500-passenger ship that will feed live video to the "porthole" in every inside cabin. The video feeds will correspond to each cabin's location on the ship, so passengers will be seeing exactly what passengers in oceanview cabins near them are seeing!
Travel Pulse Nov 2009Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas Towers over English Town
Southampton, England — It looked as if a large chunk of Hampshire, complete with trees, apartments, and a street lined with shops and bars, had broken off and floated out into the middle of the Solent.
But this was no monster piece of flotsam and jetsam but one of the biggest man-made objects to move across the face of the planet, the vast new cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas.
Tips to Avoid the Airline Carrier Cold
1. Stay hydrated. Your body’s natural defenses tend to dry out in the very low humidity at higher levels, reducing their natural defenses.
2. Keep your hands clean.
3. Don't forget the dental hygiene.
4. Take your vitamins.
5. Wear a face mask.
.
Baby-Friendly Cruise Lines
Years ago, parents cruising with small children had to contend with cabin layouts rarely fit for a crib, pools and play areas that were off limits to the un-potty-trained, and activities tailored to children older than three. When Disney entered the cruise market in 1998, it instantly changed the so-called teething field by catering to cruising's youngest passengers. It offered a nursery, larger standard staterooms —with tubs, room-dividing curtains, and enough room for baby paraphernalia —and onboard stores stocked with necessities like diapers and baby sunblock.
Since then, several other lines have introduced their own tot-friendly amenities..Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Cunard and Norwegain cruise lines all offer programs for our youngest travelers.
Financial Powerhouse Frankfurt is also Rich in Culture By Rick Steves
For years, Frankfurt was a city to avoid ... but today, its energy makes it worth a look. You'll have seen 21st-century Germany, beyond the country's clichés of old castles and cute, cobbled squares.
Cosmopolitan Frankfurt, while low on Old World charm, offers a good look at today's no-nonsense, modern Germany. If you arrive in Frankfurt by train, you won't be impressed. The area near the station is seedy.
Many of the city's historic sights are clustered around Romerberg, the main square.
Frankfurt makes an easy half-day stop for travelers. Planning to sleep here is a gamble, since the city's numerous trade fairs send hotel prices skyrocketing — a $100 double can suddenly shoot up to $400 .
.
Cruises that Take a Different Tack By Spud Hilton
A growing number of alternative cruises are coming on the scene to meet the increase demand for a different type of cruise experience.
The experience? Two hundred passengers (sometimes just a few dozen), an emphasis on education and cultural awareness, and a tiny multi-tasking crew that might be hauling lines one minute and serving pan-seared sea bass the next.
Most small-boat trips are more expensive than those of their big-ship counterparts, but with companies staying afloat on waves of discounts, they'll never be more affordable. Small boats fall into these categories: Expedition boats River boats Freighter voyages Windjammers Paddle steamers
South America Cruises: Brazil on Tap? Don't Delay Your Visa Application
West Coasters booked on upcoming South American voyages have been on edge over a Brazil visa backlog at the Los Angeles consulate…
Wherever you live, start the process as early as possible: The Brazilian consulate in Los Angeles has agreed to process visas for cruise passengers in order of sailing date, giving preference to travelers with looming departures; however, be aware that processing may still take up to three weeks once documents are submitted.
Eurostar train is the way to go between London and Paris Europe's high-speed rail network keeps getting better.
By Rick Steves
Europe's high-speed rail, such as this French bullet train, is so successful that one airline is considering getting into the business.
Europe is investing in its infrastructure, and travelers know the results are breathtaking. With the English Channel tunnel, trains speed from Big Ben to the Eiffel Tower in about 2.5 hours. You zip under the English Channel in 20 minutes. More travelers now connect London and Paris by train than by air — and high-speed rail between these two cities may get even faster and cheaper in the near future. .
Fear of pirates off Somalia prompts another cruise line to cancel voyages
Add The Yachts of Seabourn to the list of cruise lines steering clear of the pirate-plagued waters around Somalia.
The globetrotting luxury line says it has canceled a series of voyages through the Indian Ocean scheduled for late 2010 and early 2011 due to worries about the increasingly brazen attacks on ships in the region.
Best Small Cruise Ships
A diminutive but growing industry niche revolves around small vessels—a wide ranging group inclusive of yachts, rugged expedition ships and classic sailing schooners—where passenger counts top out at 200 rather than 2,000.
Beyond offering a cozier atmosphere, these ships' size creates a whole different experience, onboard and onshore. You can go kayaking off a wilderness island in Mexico with Lindblad, trim the sails and climb the rigging with Star Clippers, or follow a whale into a serene fjord in Alaska on a Cruise West ship.
Small-ship cruising is more about geographic access to the world's more uncommon ports. .
Phone Features Can Cause Unexpected Chargesl by Ed Perkins -
If you're headed for Europe and want to stay in touch by phone, one option is to take a wireless phone that works there as well as here. "Multiband" phones you get through AT&T, T-Mobile, and several smaller companies use the same GSM system that European countries use, so you can use your own phone in Europe. That's usually a good option, but be forewarned: If your phone has lots of cool extras, you could unknowingly run up unexpected charges in the hundreds and even thousands of dollars.
Check with your service provider to find out what the costs are for the different features offered on your telephone before you leave on you trip.
Spectacular Fall Foliage Cruises
Cruisers who have traveled all around the world will come the north east of the United States and Canada to take a foliage cruise, because the scenery is so spectacular!
Whether you opt for a big boat or a smaller ship, the experience has as much to do with the historic ports-of-call as the foliage itself.
There is only a short window of time to enjoy this phenomenal foliage display…late September to mid-October, so booking in advance is a must.
Rick Steves' Tips on Packing Light
The lighter your bag, the happier you'll be on a trip, and European travel guru Rick Steves shares his tips for traveling with very little.
Keeping things light makes you more mobile and in control.
Slim down your suitcase by doing laundry in your room every few days.
….. my bag is light. As compartmentalized as a TV dinner, it includes a folding board with four shirts and an extra pair of pants; bags for small garments, such as underwear and five pairs of socks (wear for two days, wash every 10 days); a tiny toiletries kit; electronics (iPod, cellphone, camera, laptop, flash drive, chargers, adapters, and batteries); and that miscellaneous bag filled with security-blanket extras I probably won't need (spot remover, sewing kit, extra glasses, and so on). I also throw in a sweater, light jacket, and day bag. All my shoes are on my feet. That's it.
Even when traveling in winter, I pack just about as light. I wear heavier, warmer, high-top, waterproof shoes. I add a warm coat, long johns (quick-drying Capilene or super-light silk), scarf, gloves, hat, and an extra pair of socks and underwear since things dry more slowly. I layer my clothing for warmth, knowing I'll be outside in the cold for hours at a time.
Remember, packing light isn't just about the flight; it's about your traveling lifestyle. With only one bag, you'll feel lean and in control. After you enjoy that sweet mobility and freedom, you'll never go any other way.
Norwegian Cruise Line's biggest ship ever, Norwegian Epic, will make its public debut with a seven-night, non-stop sailing across the Atlantic.
Norwegian Cruise Line First Sailings of Norwegian Epic
The line today announced the 4,200-passenger vessel will depart Southampton, England on June 24, 2010, arriving in New York on July 1, 2010 in what will be the first revenue sailing of the vessel.
With room for 4,200 passengers at double occupancy -- more when third and fourth berths in cabins are taken into account -- the soaring, 19-deck giant will be second only to Royal Caribbean's soon-to-debut, 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas in capacity.
Walking through history in Gdansk
Where World War II began in Europe and the Soviet Union began to end By Rick Steves
Standing at the end of Gdansk's long wooden pier, I realize that I can see two of the most important sites in 20th-century history: the spit of land where World War II began, and the shipyard where the Cold War started its long and gradual final act.
Many people imagine this northern-Poland city to be a wasteland of rusted, smoke-belching shipyards. But that's just one view of this multifaceted place. Gdansk boasts an illustrious history and one of the most picturesque old quarters in Eastern Europe.
Gdansk's magnificent Main Town features block after block of red brick churches and colorful, ornately decorated mansions. As one tourist gasped to me, "It's like stepping into a Faberge egg."
MSC Welcomes Splendida
MSC Splendida, the second in MSC Cruises’ luxurious “Fantasia” class of cruise ships and the newest addition to the company’s fleet, was christened in Barcelona last month, bringing MSC Cruises’ total to 10 ships.
CLIA Sept 2009Norwegian Epic Tests the Waters
NCL’s Norwegian Epic made her first journey on water in July, cruising out of her construction quay at STX Europe in Saint-Nazaire, France where the 153,000-ton ship has been under construction since October 2007. The float out represented a major milestone in the vessel’s construction as it indicates that the ship has now moved into the final phase of construction and work will begin immediately on the vessel’s interiors. Delivery is expected in less than a year
CLIA Sept 2009Equinox Joins Celebrity Fleet
Celebrity Cruises took ownership of Celebrity Equinox in advance of final inspections, a series of promotional events and a naming ceremony in the UK in July. The ship entered service with an eight-night Norwegian Fjords cruise, then returned to Southampton to begin an official maiden voyage August 8 to the Mediterranean. Equinox will sail from Civitavecchia through the autumn before repositioning to Port Everglades for the winter Caribbean season.
CLIA Sept 2009Abu Dhabi Cruise Business Booming
The Arabian Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi expects an almost 60 percent increase in cruise passenger arrivals in the 2009/2010 season. According to the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), almost 200,000 passengers are expected, up from 125,000 last year.
CLIA Sept 2009KanDoo Island Emerges Off Waikiki Beach
KanDoo Island, an ocean fun center offering rides, slides and relaxation, has opened off Waikiki Beach.
KanDoo Island offers 22 water activities including jet skiing, parasailing, ultimate parasailing (1,000 feet in the air), ultimate Banana Boat (three miles off shore), underwater motorcycling, ocean swimming, guided snorkeling, and marine education classes. KanDoo Island operates daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with food and beverages served all day. Shuttle boats depart from Kewalo Basin every 20 minutes.
Back to a Travel Planner
If you dreaded sitting down at your computer the last time you made travel arrangements or felt frustrated by all the time and effort it took to sort through pages of results for flights and hotels, join the crowd.
A new report, released by Forrester Research, found that far from embracing the do-it-yourself era, many consumers were fed up with the complicated process of planning and booking travel.
“Potential travelers are forced to figure out extra fees, wade through fine print and understand travel industry terms and educate themselves about destinations, flights and hotels” said Mr. Harteveldt.
In fact, Mr. Harteveldt said a growing number of consumers appeared to be interested in using an offline travel agency. .
Morocco: A Snap Shot
There is so much to say about Morocco it’s hard to know where to begin. It is an African country yet it has a close affinity with its northern neighbor, Spain, from which it is separated only by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar. Spain was dominated by the Moors for centuries and many of the most intriguing tourist sites in Spain, such as the Alhambra, are Moorish.
Morocco’s largest city and probably best-known thanks to the movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman is Casablanca. As great as that movie is, however, it pales against the reality of Morocco itself.
Morocco, roughly the size of California, stretches along the northwest coast of Africa. Its Atlantic coastline is about a thousand miles long. East of Gibraltar, Morocco’s coastline stretches another 300 miles along the Mediterranean.
An intriguing destination for adventurers who enjoy the unusual exploring beyond the normal tourist points.
Cuba Confident to Manage U.S. Travel Demand
Cuba can handle the surge of American travelers expected if travel restrictions to the island were lifted, according to Miguel Figueras, an advisor at the Cuba Ministry of Tourism.
American Society of Travel Agents estimated earlier this year that the initial surge could be 850,000 U.S. tourists a year, excluding cruise passengers and Cuban-American family visitors.
QE2, icon of cruise world, may be on the move again
The Associated Press today reports the cash-strapped owner of the retired Cunard Line ocean liner is weighing plans to send the vessel as far away as South Africa as an alternative to financially struggling Dubai.
Travelgram Sept 2009Turkey Reports Rise in Visitors from the U.S.
More American travelers visited Turkey from January to April 2009 than in the same period in 2008. Turkey, which recently saw the opening of the $1.4 billion Mardan Palace, the most expensive hotel in Europe, continues to weather the worldwide economic storm by showing signs of a strong tourism industry. Other indicators include Turkish Airlines’ intention to purchase over 100 planes in the coming few years. .
Travel Pulse Sept 2009Tauck Tours Adds Two New River Cruises For 2010
Tauck World Discovery plans to add two new cruise itineraries for 2010. Also slated for next year are two Oberammergau extensions -- four- and five-day land journeys that combine with selected Tauck river cruise itineraries and include premium seating tickets for the village’s famous Passion Play performances.
Travel Pulse Aug 2009Cruise West's World Voyage Offers Shore Excursions
When Cruise West’s “Voyages of the Great Explorers” embarks on its 335-day circumnavigation of the world next March, guests will find unique shore excursions.
While guests will enjoy an included shore excursion at every port including visits to 85 UNESCO World Heritage sites, the “Ultimate Explorers Experience” included on each of the 24 voyages are designed to bring guests into personal contact with peoples, cultures and natural wonders.
Another Princess Cruise Ship gets a Major Makeover
The days of rapid growth at Princess Cruises may have come to an end (for the first time in years, the line doesn't have a single ship on order). But that doesn't mean the world's third largest line has given up on keeping up with its rivals. In just the last two months, Princess has revamped two of its existing ships in major dry-docks.
The latest Princess ship to get a makeover: The 1,950-passenger Dawn Princess, which recently emerged from the Cairncross Dockyard in Brisbane, Australia with a laundry list of new amenities.
Reducing Carry-on Luggage Size
A bill has been recently introduced in Congress that addresses the problem of too many oversize carry-on bags. The bill would standardize the size of carry-on items and require the Transportation Security Administration to enforce limits by measuring the bags at its checkpoints.
Travelgram Aug 2009 New citationCruise West Reducing Alaska Sailings for 2010
Cruise West, a leader in small ship cruises with a rich history in the state, says it will operate just four ships in Alaska next year, down from five this year and eight in 2008.
The line is pulling the Spirit of Oceanus from Alaska just a year after it removed the Spirit of '98, Spirit of Glacier Bay and Spirit of Alaska. All four of the ships hold about 100 passengers. .
Barbados
Barbados, once the British Empire's most important colony, is still, with its historic riches and great houses galore, a temperamentally English enclave. Often referred as “Little England”. Some parts of this Caribbean country even look like Devon and Somerset.
Barbados became independent in 1966, it chose to be a realm and not a republic like Trinidad or Guyana. It offers a mixture, combined with an unusually site-tenacious plantation-owning class, made for an uncommon and comparatively stable Creole society.
Unlike some Caribbean islands that were fought over (and over) by rival powers, Barbados is safe, secure, clean, and exceptionally efficient.
Oceania to Launch Culinary Studio on New Marina
Oceania Cruises’ new 1,258-guest Marina will offer a culinary studio with individual work stations, each with induction cook tops, for hands-on learning experiences for guests. The Marina will debut in winter 2010 with its new multi-million-dollar culinary center.
Travel Pulse Jun 2009Celebrity Cruises to Offer Open Dinner Seating on Ships by September
Celebrity Cruises will offer passengers the option of open seating in the main dining rooms of its ships by the beginning of fall.
The offering will be in addition to -- not a replacement for -- traditional assigned early and late seating on the line's vessels. Passengers will be able to choose which type of seating they want -- open or traditional -- at the time they book their cruise.
One potential downside to the open seating plan: The line says it can't guarantee that passengers on the plan who make reservations for specific times in the dining room will eat alone. Two sets of couples with the same reservation time, for instance, could be paired together at a table for four if all the tables for two already are taken.
Greece to Open New Acropolis Museum
About 1,500 years after Christian zealots vandalized the Parthenon's pagan sculptures, the new Acropolis Museum is set to open.
Standing near the remains of an inaugural sacrifice for a 3rd century B.C. town house excavated under the citadel, priests burnt incense and chanted blessings for the building where Greece hopes one day to display the Elgin — or Parthenon — Marbles (scuptures).
Athens says the sculptures were stolen from a work of art so important that its surviving pieces should all be exhibited together.
But the British Museum counters that it legally owns its collection, and displays it free of charge in an international cultural context.
Amsterdam to Open Hermitage Amsterdam Museum
On June 20, beginning at 10 a.m., a major new European cultural destination, the greatly expanded Hermitage Amsterdam, will welcome visitors to its restored 17th century building in the historic heart of Amsterdam. Founded to bring the richness and grandeur of Russia’s artistic heritage to one of the West’s most charming capitals, this independent cultural institution inaugurates its spacious new home -- 10 times the size of the previous building -- with the exhibition “At the Russian Court,” a display of more than 1,800 treasures from the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Travel Pulse Jun 2009Holland America Line Offers New 2010 World Cruise Overland Tours
Holland America Line is offering new World Cruise tours and Overland Adventure tours in South America, Africa and India. Overland Adventures allow guests to extend their holiday or world cruise with an in-depth exploration of regions such as India, the Far East, Africa and South America. The adventures range from two- and three-day tours to eight-day explorations.
Travel Pulse Jun 2009Gutsy Women Travel Offers Budapest and Prague Program
Gutsy Women Travel, the leading tour operator for women by women, is offering an eight-day tour called Beauty of Central Europe: Budapest & Prague departing on Sept. 13, 2009.
The highlights of this tour are small groups; cooking class at world-famous Gundel Restaurant; thermal spa treatment in Budapest; illuminated cruise on the Danube; tours of Bratislava, Slovakia, with an expert local guide; the Mucha Museum in Prague; Lobkovicz Castle and its galleries; tea and cake at Prague’s Municipal House; and a carriage ride around Prague.
Holland America's Veendam shines after major makeover
Many of the big lines have been phasing out smaller vessels, and what used to be common -- mass-market ships that carry under 1,500 passengers -- are increasingly rare. But the good news for big ship critics is that one major operator, Holland America, not only is holding on to its smaller vessels, it's pouring money into them. This past week Holland America showed off a massive, $40 million makeover of one of its smallest vessels, the 1,350-passenger Veendam -- a makeover the line soon will repeat on four more of its smaller (and older) ships.
Travelgram Jun 2009Windstar Sets New Seven-Day St. Martin Roundtrip
Windstar Cruises has announced a new, seven-day St. Martin roundtrip itinerary aboard the 148-guest Wind Spirit. The sailings will take place each week from December through March. Ports of call will include St. Kitts, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and St. Barts.
Travelgram Jun 2009Want to escape the kids? Next Carnival cruise ship will boast double-decker adults area
Carnival said today that when the 3,646-passenger Dream debuts Sept. 21, it will boast the largest adults-only area in the line's fleet. The Dream’s Serenity area will take over 11,250 square-feet on two levels of the ship’s forward decks. .
Travel Pulse Jun 2009Cruise Lines Eyeing Cuba
Will cruise ships offer itineraries that call at Cuba's Havana?
Absolutely, Cuba as a cruise destination is top of mind for many cruise lines…especially because so many cruises, particularly between Eastern Caribbean ports and south Florida, brush past the mysterious island. It is a nature additional to these itineraries…and add some fresh spark to the ports of call.
Cruise West Enhances Sea of Cortés Voyages
Cruise West has enhanced its Sea of Cortés voyages for the 2009-10 season with additional small craft excursions. The line will offer 12 departures of its seven-night Mexico’s Sea of Cortés Whales & Wildlife itinerary, including three specialty cruises -- a John Steinbeck-inspired cruise and two holiday getaways. The Whales & Wildlife cruise takes place aboard the 102-guest Spirit of Endeavour with an increased number of small-craft excursions. In addition, passengers will have the opportunity to participate in line’s recently enhanced enrichment program, Compass, which provides topical presentations by onboard Exploration Leaders and local experts.
Travel Pulse Jun 2009Travel Agent Organizations Issue Consumer Warning on 'Card Mills'
Travel Industry Organizations warn consumers on the increase in phony offers to sell "travel agent credentials." identification soon find themselves with nothing to show for their investment except empty promises.
(PRWEB) April 3, 2009 -- The travel industry has become increasingly aware of a recent resurgence of companies selling phony travel agent credentials to consumers with the false promise of travel benefits. Such schemes, called "card mills" by the legitimate travel industry, purport to offer consumers the ability to "travel like a travel agent" for a fee of up to several hundred dollars.
Most card mills emphasize supposed savings that result from using their phony identification. In fact however, they are asking their victims to misrepresent themselves to hotels and other travel suppliers.
The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has published a guide to card mills entitled "Travel Industry Card Mills: What Consumers and Consumer Protection Agencies Should Know About Travel Industry Card Mills" which can be downloaded from their web site www.asta.org.
Europe plans to expand in-flight cell phone service
BRUSSELS - EU officials say the number of aircraft equipped with services allowing passengers to use cell phones in the skies above Europe will double by next year.
EU spokesman Martin Selmayr says only a total of 27 aircraft from three airlines — British Midland Airways Ltd., also known as bmi; Portugal's TAP, and low-cost airline Ryanair — currently offer a pay-for-service to use mobile phones on board. Air France-KLM finished a seven-month trial last year, but has not yet decided whether to implement the service on its European routes.
Cruise Giant Carnival to Roll-out 'flexible dining' Fleetwide
Carnival is rolling out "flexible dining" across its fleet, belatedly following in the footsteps of Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess, Holland America and Royal Caribbean.
Under the program, which the line says was a big hit during the tests on two of their ships. Carnival passengers will have the choice of either traditional dining at a fixed seating or flexible dining.
How does it work? -- At the time of booking, passengers will be asked to choose from one of three options: Early dining at 6 p.m.; Late dining at 8:15 p.m.; or Your Time dining. Under Your Time dining passengers can dine at any time between 5:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. (if applicable depending on ship and sailing date).
Athens Rejuvenated from the New Millennium
Not so long ago, many travelers dismissed Athens, with its scruffy streets, traffic pandemonium, and lackadaisical service, as mostly a jumping-off point for some really gorgeous Greek island.
But since the 2004 Olympics this capital city, bathed in millennia of history, has been rejuvenated for the new millennium. Yet under all the polish, much of Athens hasn't changed a bit over the past few decades -- and that's part of its charm.
The city's main attraction remains the Acropolis, on a hill only a short walk from the museum. It's still a simply stunning site, with the Parthenon as its crown. Although many of the buildings are under renovation, there's no question the Parthenon is still the city's show-stopper, especially when it is lit up at dusk.
Although there are plenty of ancient treasures in Athens, there also are many modern delights, including hip pedestrian shopping areas, Michelin-starred restaurants, trendy shops, and bars featuring traditional bouzouki music.
Cruise Biz updates:
New Builds on Target or Ahead of Schedule Several new builds are either on target for launch or ahead of schedule.
Celebrity Cruises announced that the Celebrity Equinox, a sister to the newly launched Solstice, is ahead of construction schedule and will have a soft launch prior to the official maiden voyage in August. The ship will embark on a roundtrip Norwegian fjords cruise from England on July 31.
Cunard Line unveiled details about its new Queen Elizabeth on St. Patrick’s Day. Accommodating 2,092 passengers and entering service on October 12, 2010, the ship will be Cunard’s second largest ever built and third new ship in the last six years.
Disney Cruise Line has announced that construction on two new ships is under way in Germany. The vessels – Disney has just announced the names as Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy – will have 1,250 staterooms with a capacity of 4,000 passengers and are scheduled for arrival in 2011 and 2012.
Oceania Cruises has begun construction in Italy of its first new build, the Marina. The ship will carry 1,252 passengers and offer six restaurants.
Silversea Cruises launched its new 540-passenger Silver Spirit in late February in Italy.
West Coast and Mexican Riviera Go Big Time In February, Royal Caribbean International’s 142,000 ton Mariner of the Seas became the largest cruise ship to operate on the West Coast, offering weekly Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles. Almost as large and also offering weekly Mexican Riviera itineraries from Long Beach is Carnival Cruise Line’s brand new, 113,000 ton Carnival Splendor.
Port Everglades Prepares for World’s Largest Cruise Ship Cruise Terminal 18 at Port Everglades will be home to Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis-class ships, the first of which, Oasis of the Seas, will begin sailing later this year, followed by the Allure of the Seas in 2010. In preparation, the expansion and renovation of port facilities has included hoisting into place concrete sections weighing over 300,000 pounds.
Cruise Lines Put Focus on Taiwan and China Royall Caribbean International and Costa Cruises have been given rights by the Chinese government to operate cruises between the China mainland and ports in Taiwan. Primarily aimed at the domestic market, the cruises reflect not only improving relations between the two countries but the growing interest in the region on the part of international cruise operators, in part made possible by significant investment in port facilities by Taiwan in an effort to boost its cruise capacity.
Website by CappellettiDesigns.com