Celebrity Cruises is toasting its guests with a new beverage on board beverage program.  As a result of extensive research and past guests’ feedback, Celebrity has created four brand-new beverage packages. These include two classic options and two premium options. The “Classic Non-Alcoholic Package” features fountain and can soda, bottled and fresh-squeezed juices, premium coffee and bottled water, and is available at $14.95 per person, per day. The “Premium Non-Alcoholic Package” includes everything in the classic non-alcoholic package plus specialty non-alcoholic coffee drinks, additional name-brand bottled water choices, canned energy drinks and flavored bottled water offerings, smoothies and frozen non-alcoholic drinks, and is available at $18.40 per person, per day. Celebrity’s new “Classic Package” features everything in the classic non-alcoholic package plus beers with a retail value of up to five dollars per serving and spirits, cocktails, and wines by the glass with a retail value of up to eight dollars per serving, and costs guests $44.85 per person, per day. The “Premium Package” features all the premium beverages in the premium non-alcoholic package plus all beers, and spirits, cocktails, and wines by the glass with a retail value of up to 12 dollars per serving, and is available for $56.35 per person, per day. All prices include a standard 15 percent service charge.

Celebrity also is offering its wine packages for pre-booking. These include the “Sommelier’s Package,” the choice of a three-, five-, or seven-bottle lineup of premium international wines; a wider variety of wines available in a “Captain’s Package” or a “Build Your Own” wine package designed for guests who want to maximize their personal taste in wine while enjoying a discount. The “Build Your Own” package allows wine connoisseurs to select three upper-range bottles of wine that each cost at least $75, and enjoy a 15% discount. Bottles of wine enjoyed through any of Celebrity’s wine packages can be uncorked in one onboard venue, then recorked and stored until the guest is ready to reopen them.

Your cruise expert at www.iCruise.com has all the bubbly details!

Norwegian Cruise Line announced the dates and itineraries for two 2011 “Nickelodeon All Access Cruises.” These cruises will offer Nickelodeon-themed entertainment every day of the seven-night voyage. The two cruises are the Norwegian Jewel’s Feb. 20 departure from New York and the Norwegian Epic’s July 24, 2011, departure from Barcelona. NCL currently offers Nickelodeon entertainment on the Norwegian Jewel.

The two Nickelodeon cruises will include meet-and-greets with Nickelodeon stars, screenings of new episodes of hit shows, interactive game shows for the family, a Nick-themed Sailaway, Club Nick parties, and the opportunity for every family to get slimed. The Feb. 20 voyage from New York sails to Port Canaveral, Nassau, and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island. The July 24, 2011, cruise goes to Florence/Pisa, Rome and Naples, and Palma, Majorca, Spain. Fares start at $1,349 per person, double occupancy, and go on sale April 28 to past NCL guests and May 1 to the general public.

The cruise experts at www.iCruise.com – (800) 427-8473 – are ready to help get you slimed!

Cruise lines and their ships contribute to worldwide causes almost on a daily basis.  On any given day, there are multiple programs being conducted that benefit local, regional and national charitable organizations. These range from on board “walk a mile” programs to support breast cancer research to carrying relief supplies to areas of the world impacted by natural disasters as in the case of Haiti.

A recent example of a cruise ship coming to the rescue played out during the recent volcanic ash crisis in Europe that grounded flights and stranded thousands of travelers.

The Celebrity Eclipse returned recently to her home port in Southampton from Bilbao, Spain, where she picked up approximately 2,200  vacationers stranded by the volcanic eruption in Iceland and the resulting flight cancellations.  The voyage replaced the planned two-day launch celebration cruise for the ship, operated by Celebrity Cruises .

If you would like to raise funds for your local organization, many cruise lines have a program that contributes directly to your charity when you put a group cruise together.  It’s a simple, easy to manage program.  Your  www.iCruise.com expert can provide details on this unique, fund raising cruise opportunity.

Enough supplies were carried on Enchantment of the Seas to fill five 40-foot trucks from floor-to-ceiling. Among the cargo was 40,000 liters of bottled water.

A group of family and friends are going on the Norwegian Jade that departs Barcelona on May 16.  We are, of course, hopeful that the Icelandic Volcano dust cloud is long gone by then.  But a lot of the group have made independent plans to travel to other places in Europe prior to the cruise.  We recommended strongly that everyone purchase trip insurance “just in case”.  Most did.

Yesterday, my cousin called me and asked “Will the volcanic cloud affect our cruise?”  I was honored to have been considered an expert on world meteorological conditions but unfortunately I was as clueless as he was.  After a little digging, I found out the source of his near panic:  He and his spouse had elected not to purchase trip insurance.

Gee, what could possibly happen?  A volcano erupting?  What is the chance of that?  Needless to say, this couple will spend the next few weeks in a stressful mode wondering “what if”.  When we were discussing the situation, I got a little cheeky and asked a pointed question.   “Do you have car insurance?  When you bought the insurance, did you plan to get into a car accident?”  I think he got the point for future travel planning!

The moral of this story (which I hope has a happy ending for everyone) is that the number of things that can happen during a trip is quite extensive. Things that affect your vacation go way beyond just airline delays and lost baggage.  Good trip insurance can’t fix the problems  but can certainly protect your financial interests and make the time leading up to the trip much less stress-free.

Your personal cruise expert at www.iCruise.com  can explain the various trip insurance options that are available to cover your next cruise or tour.  Trip insurance . . . . . Don’t Leave Home Without It!

The Windstar Cruises fleet of 3 sailing ships may never win the award for “biggest, largest or fastest” ships but to their loyal followers that’s just fine.  Each year, a few thousand lucky travelers experience the pure joy of combining a sailing experience with cruise ship style amenities. Carrying just 148 pampered guests, the Wind Star exudes a private yacht-like atmosphere with an attentive staff, fine dining, and comfortable staterooms.  The ship is powered by computer-managed sails along with auxiliary engines.

ICruise.com has created an exclusive 11 day Mediterranean Highlights Cruise Combo™ package departing this fall when the crowds are gone and the weather is wonderful.   One price includes roundtrip flights from NY, 7 night cruise with an ocean view stateroom, one night pre-cruise hotel in Istanbul with a private full day city tour, a private tour of the remarkable ruins in Ephesus, a one night post cruise hotel in Athens, a half day private tour in Athens including the Acropolis, transfers from airport to hotel and ship, and a special $200 on board credit if you book by April 30^th.

This is a great chance to experience the Cradle of Civilization at a relaxed pace and without having to travel  with a few thousand passengers.  And while you may miss the rock climbing walls and giant theatre productions for a few fleeting moments, it is almost a sure thing that shortly after departing from your first port, you will quickly embrace the “sailing life” available only on Windstar cruises.

This special Cruise Combo™ package is only available through iCruise.com  View  more details on this trip by clicking on this link:   www.iCruise/WindstarCruiseCombo or by contacting your iCruise.com expert cruise counselor at 1-800-i CRUISE (800) 427-8473.  www.iCruise.com is an award-winning cruise agency representing all cruise lines and ships.

Azamara Cruises launched in December 2007 as the “premium-plus” brand in the Royal Caribbean ownership group that includes Royal Caribbean Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.  Recently, the company changed its name to “Azamara Club Cruises” and began a transition to a more inclusive on-board product.  Amenities such as bottled water, sodas and specialty coffees are now included in the fare, along with housekeeping and dining gratuities, self-service laundry and other features on the line’s two ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest.

Other changes announced include dining in the specialty restaurants, Prime C and Aqualina, is now complimentary for suite passengers throughout the cruise. Non-suite stateroom guests receive two complimentary specialty restaurant options and, beyond that, can dine in these venues, based on availability, for a cover charge of $15 per person.  Where available, the cruise line is adding complimentary shuttle bus service to and from ship and city centers of the ports visited.

The Azamara Journey and Quest offer a distinctive array of worldwide itineraries.  The ships carry slightly less than 700 guests and their size allows them to visit many unique ports of call not accessible to the mega ships.  Destinations for 2010 include Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Panama Canal and South America.  Your iCruise.com cruise expert can provide details on this exciting new cruise club concept that offers a higher level of upscale cruising at surprisingly affordable rates.

For more information visit www.iCruise.com or call toll free  1- (800) iCruise  (800-427-8473)

NCL recently held a sneak peek at the new Cirque Dreams and Dinner show being prodced exclusively for the new Norwegian Epic. It is the first ocean going show that combines interactive, cirque entertainment with a three-course meal.

The show will be performed twice a night, six days a week on the 4,200-passenger Epic. Much of the show will be performed on a 10-foot diameter stage under a 20-foot-high ceiling. Tables and chairs will surround the stage, but the performers will also be integrated with the dining experience: They will put hats on audience members, sit on their laps, bring them drinks and perform aerial acrobatics over their heads.

NCL is allowing the show’s producer to bring on the entire cast of the show and even designed the Epic’s Spiegel Tent with the production in mind.

An NCL spokesperson said “significant investment” in the show and we made a decision to change the face of cruise ship entertainment,” pointing to both the Cirque Dreams show and other acts that will perform on the Epic, such as Blue Man Group and Legends in Concert.

The Norwegian Epic begins sailing in July 2010 and www.iCruise.com has great rates on the inaugural Caribbean season. Also, check out the exclusive transatlantic London theatre Cruise Combo™  packages available at www.iCruise.com.  Your iCruise.com  cruise counselor has all the details at 1-800-I CRUISE ( 1-800-427-8473)

Whether you’re seeking an entirely new holiday experience or simply escaping the frantic pace of the season, Holland America Line offers 22 holiday cruises in 2010 for warm weather celebrations.

“Holiday cruises are a very special experience,” said a Holland America Spokesperson. “Our crew takes special pride in delivering all the seasonal favorites for guests to enjoy without the traditional rush. Holiday meals, decorations and family time can be savored while sailing through warm, picturesque waters.”

Departing between Dec. 17 and Dec. 31 aboard seven ships — ms Westerdam, ms Maasdam, ms Eurodam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Ryndam, ms Prinsendam and ms Noordam — options abound for Caribbean cruises with 13 holiday sailings from Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa over one or both holidays. Itineraries include exploring the southern Caribbean via a seven-day cruise with stops in such exotic ports as Aruba, Curacao and Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private Bahamian island. Or try seven days exploring the rich waters of the eastern Caribbean and legendary ports of call such as Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Finally, holiday cruisers can settle into several western Caribbean options with stops that may include Belize, Montego Bay, Georgetown, Costa Maya and Key West.

The more adventurous travelers can opt for a 10- or 14-day cruise throughout the Caribbean and usher in the New Year in St. Thomas or St. George’s while sampling the ports of Barbados and Grand Turk. . Per person fares begin as low as $999, double occupancy. Taxes are additional.

Or say Ole to a sunny Mexican Riviera & Panama Canal cruise. Departing from Fort Lauderdale, San Diego or Los Angeles in mid to late December, Holland America Line offers five cruises that visit the warm water ports of the Mexican Riviera — Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Puerto Chiapas and Puerto Quetzal — as well as the Central America coastline and Panama Canal. Per person fares begin at $1,099.

The Sunfarer Caribbean Holiday cruise is a 10-day trip departing roundtrip Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 23 aboard ms Zuiderdam and sailing through the southern Caribbean with Christmas Eve at Half Moon Cay, a partial transit of the Panama Canal to Gatun Lake and New Year’s Eve at sea before returning on Jan. 2, 2011.

Two additional cruises visit the Panama Canal beginning with the 14-day Panama Canal which departs Los Angeles on Dec. 22 aboard ms Amsterdam in time for Christmas Day at sea and stops in Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica before traversing the Canal en route to Ft. Lauderdale. Or guests can opt for the 14-day Panama Canal Holiday Cruise aboard ms Statendam departing San Diego on Christmas Eve. Stops in Mexico include Puerto Vallarta and Puerto Chiapas before crossing the Canal to Fort Lauderdale.

Christmas and New Year’s holidays along the Mexican Riviera can be particularly memorable with an eight-day cruise from San Diego aboard ms Oosterdam on Dec. 18 or a seven-day sailing on Dec. 26 that visit Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. Or guests can opt for a 12-day cruise departing Dec. 22 aboard ms Rotterdam that features Christmas Eve in Cabo San Lucas, Christmas Day at sea and New Year’s Eve in Mazatlan.

Contact a personal cruise expert at iCruise.com and they can gift wrap the cruise that’s just right for you.  Visit us on the web at www.iCruise.com or call 1-800-iCruise (1-800-427-8473)

Conventional wisdom advises the use of special eye protection when viewing an eclipse. But none of that was necessary for the thousands of individuals who lined the banks of Germany’s River Ems last week to see Celebrity Eclipse embark on a fascinating adventure in cruising.

The third of five in Celebrity Cruises’ stylish, $3.7-billion Solstice Class fleet, Celebrity Eclipse made her first departure from the innovative Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, to embark on what is very likely to be the most challenging ride of her life: an event known as the “conveyance.”

At the tightest points along the way, there are as few as two feet between each side of the 1,040-foot-long, 121-foot-wide Celebrity Eclipse and the locks. The depth of the river and the draft of the ship allow for mere inches – or less – beneath the ship. These factors and others led Celebrity Cruises and Meyer Werft to essentially create a science all their own, carefully monitoring the position of the moon and tidal conditions to identify the precise moment when the depth of the river is ideal for the ship to set sail from the shipyard.

“Cruise ship captains generally do not expect to encounter the challenges the conveyance presents,” said Celebrity Eclipse Captain Panagiotis Skylogiannis. “Although I am accustomed to docking in tight ports, I prefer to be chasing sunshine in the open sea. Celebrity Eclipse is only a few feet slimmer than the narrowest lock we have to navigate, which isn’t much room, particularly when the president of the company is onboard, keeping a close watch! But we’ve done this twice before, and I am entirely confident of another smooth and successful passage.”

Celebrity Eclipse will be first ship to offer the “Celebrity iLounge,” complete with a retail area offering the latest products through Celebrity’s Authorized Apple Reseller status, and the first to present “Qsine,” a “uniquely unordinary,” interactive dining venue complete with wine menus on a personal touch screen.

After spending the next several months based in Europe, the ship will operate Caribbean cruises roundtrip from Miami. Like her sister ships – Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox – Celebrity Eclipse will showcase The Lawn Club, with real, growing grass; The Hot Glass Show, a glassblowing show and studio developed with The Corning Museum of Glass; 10 unrivaled dining venues, including Qsine; and widely varied entertainment, including shows with breathtaking aerial acts.

Your www iCruise.com personal cruise expert can tell you about the spectacular deals available for this spectacular ship.