Cruise ship to become 'Bud Light Hotel' for Super Bowl

Norwegian Getaway (Photo: Norwegian)

 Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship will be transformed into a Bud Light-themed hotel — if only for a few days.

As USA TODAY's Laura Petrecca today reveals in an exclusive report on corporate party plans for Super Bowl XLVIII, Anheuser-Busch InBev will turn the soon-to-debut, 4,028-passenger Norwegian Getaway into a massive "Bud Light Hotel" lodging space and entertainment venue for the event.

The Norwegian Getaway will be docked in New York for the Feb. 2 game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., and the Bud Light Hotel will encompass the ship and the adjacent Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Lodging will be available Thursday before the game through Monday morning.

Continue reading:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2013/11/05/norwegian-cruise-bud-light-hotel/3440601/

Short cruises from South Florida ports

Carnival: Two ships -- Carnival Victory and Carnival Imagination replaced in January by Carnival Ecstasy -- sailing day cruises out of Miami (unchanged from last year), plus an additional ship, Carnival Freedom, sailing occasional five-day cruises, interspersed with longer cruises, out of Fort Lauderdale. Carnival Freedom will get Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades in the spring, the first ship used for short cruises to get them. www.carnival.com

Celebrity: Celebrity Constellation sailing four- and five-day cruises out of Fort Lauderdale til late April, after sailing a similar program out of Miami in years past. www.celebritycruises.com

Disney: Disney Magic, just back from a dry-dock makeover, set sail Oct. 25 on its first Caribbean cruise of the season from Miami; will do four- and five-night cruises until January, when it will be move to Port Canaveral. Disney Wonder will move from Galveston to Miami and continue the short-cruise schedule until early May. The Disney Wonder sailed similar itineraries out of Miami for the first time last year, but for a shorter season. http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/

See more at:  http://www.post-gazette.com/life/travel/2013/11/03/Short-cruises-from-South-Florida-ports/stories/201311030046

Best cruises for a weekend getaway

Looking for a quick weekend getaway out of Miami? Carnival Cruise Lines' 2,056-passenger Carnival Imagination operates three-night sailings to the Bahamas from the city every Friday.  Carnival Cruise Lines

  Maybe you don't have a full week's vacation coming. Or you want to combine a visit with the relatives with a short cruise. Or you're a first-time cruiser afraid to commit to a full week at sea. Whatever the reason, cruise lines get that some people can't (or don't want to) do a seven-night cruise. As a result, the lines are offering an increasing number of shorter cruise options.

The three-, four- or five-night sailings are often affordably priced, especially this time of year. Do a four-night cruise on the Norwegian Sky or Carnival Imagination from Miami on Nov. 11, for instance, from $149 per person (Click through the carousel above for a glimpse of the ships and others mentioned in this story).

The cruises tend to be on older ships, but that may be changing. Princess Cruises, for instance, has its second-newest ship, the Ruby Princess, cruising on four- and five-night cruises out of Fort Lauderdale this season.

While short cruises have had a past reputation for attracting a more party-hearty crowd than longer cruises, a number of ships these days are targeting families. Disney Cruise Line, for instance, is showing off major refurbishments on the Disney Magic with short cruises from Miami, through December (after that Disney Wonder takes over the route through April). Fares are from $396 per person, for a four-night cruise.

Continue reading at http://www.usatoday.com/experience/cruise/article/best-cruises-for-a-weekend-getaway/3173241/

How to save money on a cruise

The cruise industry is launching its Oct. 20-27 sale week, but if you’re not ready to take the plunge yet, cruise lines also offer discounts during the annual “Wave Season,” which runs from January through March.

You may get a lower price attempting to book at the last minute, but by booking early, during sale periods, you can often get perks such as free airfare to the departure city; an upgraded cabin; or onboard credits to spend on extras like a massage.

Tips on:

• Avoiding peak times - learn when it's the best time to book a cruise
• Sail old school - older ship may be worth the savings
• Repositioning Cruises - they are a great one-way ticket
• Target cheaper itineraries - want cheap, target three-day cruises for a bargain
• Consider a travel agent -  helpful to sort out the details
• Account for extras - calculate your cost before you book. Use this free Travel Budget Calculator (http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-budget-calculator) to get an estimate of your next cruise vacation.

Read more at: http://seattletimes.com/html/travel/2022059834_cruisesavingsxml.html

Travel Experts Say Now is the Time for Cheap Cruises

(NBC News) If you have a little bit of vacation time stashed away, this may be the week you decide what to do with it, because somebody's got a deal you may find difficult to refuse.

It's always much cheaper to take a cruise this time of year, and this year cruise prices are at all-time lows.

In fact, MarketWatch reporter Catey Hill says cruises are cheaper right now than a motel stay.

"It's almost to the point cheaper than the Motel 6 when you consider that on a cruise you get all your food included in that price," Hill says.

Carnival is offering cruises for as low as $35 a night, while Royal Caribbean has taken as much as a thousand dollars off some sailings.

Read more at: http://www.texomashomepage.com/story/travel-experts-say-now-is-the-time-for-cheap-cruises/d/story/T01Oxr6tQUqvRHD_h1HvUg

MSC Divina to bring some firsts to Miami

BY JAY CLARKE
SPECIAL TO THE MIAMI HERALD

When MSC Divina arrives in Miami in November, it will mark the beginning of a first for MSC Cruises — the first time the line has stationed a ship year-round at a North American port. And it will offer a number of options that were not available on MSC ships that sailed seasonally here.

First, in partnership with Eataly, an upscale Italian chain with restaurants also in Japan and the United States, Divina will have two restaurants and a boutique Eataly marketplace new to North America on board. Eataly debuted this year on Divina’s sister ship, MSC Preziosa. The new dining rooms are the upscale Ristorante Italia and Manzo, a steakhouse patterned after Eataly’s restaurant in Manhattan.

In an industry first, Divina will offer classes in Aqua Cycling, the latest fitness craze, which uses bikes in pools. Also new on the ship will be Top 18, an adults-only oasis with personal lounge beds, bar menu and spa services. And available for the first time on the line’s North America sailings will be the MSC Yacht Club, a luxurious section of the ship with personal butler, 24-hour concierge service, complimentary wines and spirits, and exclusive lounge, restaurant and pool.

The 3,274-passenger ship, which entered service in 2012, will start Caribbean cruises out of Miami Nov. 20.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/28/3650141/msc-divina-to-bring-some-firsts.html

More cruise lines reducing on-board smoking areas

A number of major cruise lines have made their onboard smoking policies more restrictive.

Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Seabourn all announced changes recently. Depending on the line and the ship, the new policies will affect guest balconies, staterooms and public spaces.

Douglas Ward, author of the guidebook Berlitz Cruising and Cruise Ships 2014, said the changes are "simply evolutionary — more no-smoking passengers are asking the cruise lines to reduce the smoking areas."

Traditionally, most ships had smoking and smoke-free areas, he said. "Ocean liners of yesteryear were famous for their large smoking rooms."

Many of the new policies prohibit smoking on balconies.

Full story at: http://www.tampabay.com/features/travel/more-cruise-lines-reducing-on-board-smoking-areas/2143443