River Cruises - The Increasingly Popular Cruise Option

In the old days, river cruises were not generally that popular, but there has been a revolution in the river cruise industry and the product is far more appealing than it once was – larger suites, better food, spa facilities. These days, a river cruise ship is more like a boutique hotel – with the advantage in the fact that the the view is always splendid and ever changing.

There are also many more river cruise destinations on offer now than before. A river cruise is no longer simply a trip down the Rhine. New itineraries include the remote Rajang River with Pandaw River Cruises, the winding Saloun and Gambia Rivers of West Africa with Variety Cruises, not forgetting everything from the Yangtze River in China to the Nile and Niger Rivers of Africa, from the Danube, Rhine, or Rhone Rivers of Europe to Amazon cruises in South America, to North America’s Mississippi River, Columbia and Snake Rivers, the Hudson River and the Great Lakes, and the California wine country.

Highlighting the increase in the river cruise market is the increasing momentum in the demand for Swan Hellenic's river cruises.

Fresh from the success of operating a successful 2009 season of river cruises on the Rhône and the Danube, and with their 2010 season virtually sold out several months prior to the first river cruise in May, Swan Hellenic has brought forward the launch of their 2011 river programme on the Rhône, Danube and Rhine to satisfy demand.

Other cruise lines offering river cruises are reporting similar trends.

For more information about river cruises and other types of cruises from senior cruises to gay cruises, adventure cruises to "babymoon" cruises, take a look at Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine's section on the different types of cruises at www.prowsedge.com/cruises.html

For more information about river cruises with Swan Hellenic visit http://rivercruises.swanhellenic.com/

All Aboard the “Celebrity iLounge”

Following the launch of its new brand platform, “Designed for you,” last month, Celebrity Cruises has announced plans for a new venue whose design, products and programming are sure to appeal to today’s cruisers.

When Celebrity Eclipse – the third in Celebrity Cruises’ stylish Solstice Class fleet of ships – launches in April, guests will find the first “Celebrity iLounge.” Designed to not only offer a hip, modern lounge ambience, Celebrity also created the space to offer what its guests said they wanted most in an Internet café: easy access to the Internet, inspiring classes and new products.

The Celebrity iLounge is composed of three main areas: a series of 26 contemporary workstations where guests can check their e-mail, retain their social media connections, or print boarding passes; a retail space offering cruisers the opportunity to see and try out the latest MacBooks®, iPods® and accessories; and an enrichment center where certified staff will offer guests tips on Mac or iPod usage.

“Our new Celebrity iLounge is a direct outgrowth of our ‘Designed for you’ brand platform, and our commitment to listen to our guests and offer experiences and programs expressly designed for them,” said Celebrity’s President and CEO Dan Hanrahan.

“Our surveys show that our guests rely heavily on the Internet for research, learning and staying in touch, so we think this new offering will be a big hit," said Celebrity’s President and CEO Dan Hanrahan, "as will the contemporary online classes offered through the ‘Discover’ series of our inspiring and enriching ‘Celebrity Life’ experiences.”

Celebrity will offer in the Celebrity iLounge a series of engaging new courses designed to suit its guests’ interests – including do-it-yourself photo books, movie editing and web design, through programs including iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and iWeb. And whether guests are savvy or novice users of Mac or iPod products, Celebrity’s certified staff will be well-equipped to assist, following more than 125 hours of training in operating systems, applications, and products. They also will be poised to illustrate to guests the differences between Macs and PCs.

Guests eager to expand their collection of merchandise will find the Celebrity iLounge an enticing venue, too. As an Authorized Apple Reseller, Celebrity will have products available for guests to purchase, including iPods, MacBooks, and essential accessories.

The Celebrity iLounge also will be presented on Celebrity Silhouette, which launches in 2011, and the fifth ship in the Solstice Class fleet, which sets sail in 2012.

TWO NEW SHIPS FOR PRINCESS CRUISES

Topping up the WOPPING number of 11 new ships scheduled to be delivered between March 2010 and May 2012, Carnival Corporation & plc has signed a memorandum of agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of two 3,600-passenger cruise ships for its Princess Cruises brand.

At an all-in cost of approximately €155,000 per lower berth, the two new ships are scheduled to enter service in spring 2013 and spring 2014. At 139,000 tons each, the as-yet-unnamed ships will be the largest in the Princess Cruises fleet.

The Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest cruise vacation group in the world, with a portfolio of cruise brands in North America, Europe and Australia, comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Ibero Cruises, Ocean Village, P&O Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia.

Together, these brands operate 95 ships totaling more than 184,000 lower berths.

For cruise experiences on any one of these major cruise lines, take a look at Prows's Edge Cruise Magazine cruise reviews at http://www.prowsedge.com/cruises-reviews.html

CRUISE CUISINE MONTH CONTINUES WITH A NEW RECIPE FROM CHEF JEAN-MARIE ZIMMERMANN

CRUISE CUISINE MONTH at Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine continues with a new cruise recipe for our fellow passengers from Chef Jean-Marie Zimmermann (for Cunard Line) for Crab Brioche Thermidor.

Executive Chef Jean-Marie Zimmermann is the Global Culinary Ambassador of Cunard Line, operator of the most famous ocean liners in the world—including flagship Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and the new Queen Elizabeth which enters service in Fall 2010.

Along with more than 24 other renowned and celebrity chefs working with the cruise lines, Chef Jean-Marie Zimmermann offers another recipe to the more than 30 already existing and favorite recipes presented for you at the Captain's Table pages.

There is no other cruise magazine on line that offers you what is, in effect, a cookery book with recipes from the stars of culinary world.

Chef Jean-Marie Zimmermann's tantalizing recipe (including his recipe for a brioche loaf) guides you step by step through his exotic dish.

There is also a detailed biography of the renowned Chef Zimmermann.

Chef Zimmermann’s favourite quote explains his culinary philosophy: “A part of my heart has always been a reflection of my passion for fine cuisine, creating food for the pleasure of giving, providing a gastronomic experience to be long remembered.”

His recipe here makes sure that you too can remember the dish, and the experience too!

Enjoy!

SPANISH FISHERMAN HAULS IN CRUISE MEMORIES

When standing on the deck of Cunard's Queen Mary 2 in October 2008, Mr. and Mrs. Gregory from South Africa were enjoying the spectacle of sailing alongside QE2 and capturing the view on camera when disaster struck as the camera was accidentally dropped into the Atlantic. At the time, both ships were off the south coast of Ireland over the Continental Shelf and the Gregorys understandably thought their holiday photos were lost forever.

That was until Benito Estevez, a Spanish fisherman who was trawling the ocean last month, discovered the lost camera in his net! While the camera itself was damaged beyond repair, the photo memory card was amazingly intact.

The fisherman contacted both Cunard and the BBC and the BBC managed to locate the couple in South Africa. The Gregorys have since been reunited with the camera and their photographs.

“In all my years in the travel industry I have never heard of such a heart-warming stroke of luck and we at Cunard are delighted that Mr. and Mrs. Gregory have been reunited with their photos,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “The images are even more poignant as they depict the last transatlantic crossing of the great QE2 and can never be taken again.”

For a Prow's Edge feature article about crossing the Atlantic on the QE2, (they way it used to be) visit http://www.prowsedge.com/cruises-atlantic-cunard.html

CRUISE CUISINE COOK BOOK COMPETITION UNDER WAY

Entries are coming in for the competition to win your own free copy of Gourmet Delights on the Seven Seas, the beautifully bound, coffee table cookbook by renowned author and photographer Lutz Jäkel, packed with recipes from Stefan Wilke, the executive chef of the MS Europa, Hapag Lloyd’s fleet flagship.

To enter the competition – simply write to us at competition@prowsedge.com and tell us your favourite cruise cuisine story (it can be funny or serious) and how important food on your cruise is to you when booking a cruise.

The top 5 most interesting entries will win one of 5 copies of GOURMET DELIGHTS ON THE SEVEN SEAS and your entry will be published in the Captain’s Table pages at Prow’s Edge Cruise Magazine.

The competition is free to enter, and contact information will NOT be shared with any other parties.

For more information visit: www.prowsedge.com/cruise-cuisine-cookbook-competition.html

Give it a shot and get your entry in today! Closing date for the competition is 30 April, 2010.

CRUISE CUISINE MONTH

It's Cruise Cuisine Month aboard Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine! If you haven't already pandered to your taste buds at the Captain's Table, take a look now at the recipes from more than 20 executive chefs of the major cruise lines offering more than 30 original cruise cuisine recipes!

And if you're really a cruise cuisine fan - take a stab at our competition to win your own copy of Gourmet Delights on the Seven Seas.

This exquisite, coffee table cookbook is packed with recipes from Stefan Wilke, the executive chef of the MS Europa, Hapag Lloyd’s fleet flagship, the only cruise liner to have been awarded the coveted 5-stars plus distinction by the Berlitz Cruise Guide from 2001 to 2010.

To enter the competition – simply write to us at competition@prowsedge.com and tell us your favourite cruise cuisine story (it can be funny or serious) and how important food on your cruise is to you when booking a cruise.

The top 5 most interesting entries will win one of 5 copies of GOURMET DELIGHTS ON THE SEVEN SEAS and your entry will be published in the Captain’s Table pages at Prow’s Edge Cruise Magazine.

The competition is free to enter, and contact information will NOT be shared with any other parties.

Author and photographer of GOURMET DELIGHTS ON THE SEVEN SEAS, Lutz Jäkel highlights Stefan Wilke’s recipes in an exquisite cook book that is a voyage of discovery you will enjoy for many years to come.

Give it a shot!

Telling it as it is - Booze and Sex - A Recipe for Crimes at Sea

The International Cruise Victims Association (ICV), ever the voice for victims of crime on cruise ships, has often talked about the dangers of alcohol on a cruise, and the Prow’s Edge Cruise Magazine advice page on How to avoid becoming a victim of crime at sea points out the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption on cruises.

Cruise line concepts such as offering unlimited drinks for one price on certain cruise ships is another red flag for the International Cruise Victims Association who warn, “Excess alcohol is often involved in certain crimes”.

Another cause for concern is the new cruise line concept of offering what's being marketed as "Cougar" cruises, in which older women look to have sexual relations with younger men.

Put the two together, alcohol and encouragement for sex - and you’re looking at a recipe for disaster. The latest forum entry at the Prow's Edge Massage Boards, from forum member “Cruiser Lady” tells us that this is not just a negatively thinking theory. (Cruiser Lady gave her permission for us to highlight her post, and in fact, encouraged us to do so, saying: “Maybe this will get through to people!”)

If you have a story to tell that may help other passengers to see the dangers of being “unaware” on a cruise, please visit the Prow’s Edge forum / message boards at http://www.prowsedge.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=91&p=268#p268 register and and post your opinion.

For more about crimes at sea, including the truth about drug-facilitated sexual assault, visit the SAFETY AT SEA pages at www.prowsedge.com/cruises-safety-at-sea.html

If you would like more information about the International Cruise Victims Association, please visit their web site at www.internationalcruisevictims.org

Exciting the taste buds with a ‘Gastronomic Tour of Skye’

You wouldn’t necessarily think of Skye in the remote reaches of Scotland as a centre for gastronomy - but think again.

Setting the benchmark for luxury cruising, Hebridean Island Cruises has just launched a brand new itinerary for 2010 – A Gastronomic Tour of Skye.

Complementing the stunning scenery of this western region of Scotland Hebridean Princess will visit two of Scotland’s most renowned restaurants, The Three Chimneys and the Cuillin Hills Hotel, and experience a cookery demonstration in the Michelin star awarded Kinloch Lodge by best selling cookery writer Claire MacDonald..

Gastronomic delights continue onboard as the Hebridean Princess sources her food from local suppliers. All the fish is sourced from Scottish waters, the meat is supplied by H.D. Ferguson Butchers of Lochgilphead and unlike many cruise ships which source cheese from the continent, Hebridean Princess shops for hers locally, featuring Lanark Blue and Isle of Mull Cheddar among others.

A food lover’s paradise, this cruise will culminate in the Gala Dinner on the final night - a 6 course feast showcasing some of the best Scottish food, including at taste of Haggis, accompanied by Robbie Burns’ Address to the Haggis, delivered by the Captain. This cruise provides a unique Scottish gourmet experience not to be missed.

A Gastronomic Tour of Skye – departing 15th May for 5 nights, fares from £2,330pp

Carrying just 49 guests, the luxurious Hebridean Princess offers the highest standards of 5* accommodation and has an enviable reputation for exceptional service and a dedicated crew of 38. She has thirty spacious, elegant and well-appointed cabins, 11 designed especially for the single traveller.

For more about cruise line food and wine, visit the Prow’s Edge Cruise Magazine CAPTAIN’S TABLE pages featuring more than 20 cruise line chefs and their favorite recipes.

For more information about Hebridean Island Cruises visit the official web site at: www.hebridean.co.uk/