Disney Goes West

     Disney Cruise Line is heading west next summer. In celebration of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary, the line is sending the Disney Magic to the Port of Los Angeles in summer 2005 for seven-night cruises to the Mexican Riviera.

     From May 28 through August 19, 2005, Disney Magic will sail 12 Saturday departures, with calls at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. On May 14 and August 20, the ship will sail 14-night repositioning cruises between Port Canaveral and Los Angeles, with calls at Curacao, a transit of the Panama Canal, Puerto Quetzal, Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas.

MSC Cruises Expands in the U.S.

     MSC Cruises is blowing full steam ahead this year. With a new president and chief executive officer, a new management team, North American offices in Ft. Lauderdale and New Jersey, and a major fleet expansion, the Italian cruise line is on its way to positioning itself as a major player in the industry.

     Richard Sasso, an industry veteran and MSC USA’s new president and CEO can attest to that.

     “I am incredibly excited to be taking the reins of MSC Cruises USA as the company takes its place as a leader in the premium cruise market,” Sasso said. “We will be working closely with our travel industry partners and promoting the unique qualities of the MSC Cruises experience to expand the North American market for the worldwide itineraries of our rapidly growing fleet.”

     “Rapidly growing” is certainly the direction the fleet is taking. This time last year MSC had a four-ship fleet, including its first-ever newbuild, the 1,586-guest Lirica, which debuted in April 2003. By June 2004, the fleet will be nearly doubled.

     MSC will introduce two more additions to its fleet this summer — MSC Armonia, formerly First European Cruises’ European Vision, and MSC Opera. The line also has two 3,000-guest Panamax ships on order for delivery in 2006 and 2007, but they haven’t chosen names for them yet. The option to build a ninth ship is in the wings as well.

     “With the expansion of our fleet and the leadership skills of Richard Sasso, MSC Cruises looks forward to establishing a strong position in the North American market with a cruise experience that truly reflects the heart and soul of Italy,” commented Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises Italian operations.

     The line also has hired a new team of executives from the industry to head-up the Ft. Lauderdale office.

Counting Carbs at Sea

     Watching your carbohydrate intake? You won’t find many at sea anymore.

     The low-carb craze has attacked the cruise industry.  So far five cruise lines (that we know of) have adopted the popular diet frenzy by announcing “low-carb” menu items onboard.      

     Carnival Cruise Lines is taking the concept fleet wide, with dinner menu items in ships’ main dining rooms featuring an appetizer, salad and entrée with a low carb count, which will be listed in grams beneath each selection.

     “The low carb phenomenon has been building for years and has recently evolved to such an extraordinary degree that there is tremendous consumer demand for carb-conscious dining options and specific carb count information,” said Bob Dickinson, Carnival’s president and CEO. “Whether consumers are following Atkins, South Beach, the Zone, or simply subscribing to the low carb philosophy, we want to make it as easy and convenient as possible to enjoy the pleasures of the Carnival dining experience.”

     Primary ingredients focus heavily on vegetables, meat and fish blended with flavorful seasonings, according to Carnival. Appetizer selections include Vine Ripe Beefsteak Tomatoes and Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella Marinated with Basil Leaves and Virgin Olive Oil (3 grams of carbs); Hickory Smoked Alaskan Salmon Garnished with Purple Onion Rings, Fresh Dill and Baby Capers (2 grams of carbs); Escargots Bourguignonne Burgundy Snails in Garlic Butter with an Infusion of Chablis and Pernod (5 grams of carbs).  Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola Butter and Green Beans (8 grams of carbs); and Pepper-Seared Supreme of Young Long Island Duckling with Marsala Infused Purple Onion Confit and Steamed Bok Choy and Sauteed Spinach (6 grams of carbs) are a couple of the entrée selections available.

     Bread won’t be forbidden during dinner for carb-counters either.  The line is offering a reduced-carb selection each evening upon request.

     Crystal Cruises is the other line that has adopted to concept onboard its three vessels. Guests onboard the Crystal Harmony, Symphony, and Serenity will be able to choose from low-carb meals and snacks onboard,  including special pastas, ice creams and breakfast selections. The three-course menus are based on recipes with carefully calculated carbohydrate counts and include an appetizer, entrée and dessert.

     “Crystal’s low-carb offerings support travelers’ growing demand to maintain their chosen dietary routines while traveling, providing more choice without sacrificing flavor and style,” says Toni Neumeister, Crystal’s vice president, food and beverage operations.

     So what can carb conscious Crystal guests expect?

     Tuna Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing (7.4g total carbs); Sautéed Chicken Breast with Balsamic-Teriyaki Sauce on Stir Fried Vegetables (20.1g total carbs); Trio of Crèmes Brûlées (15.3g total carbs); Chinese Chicken Salad (19.68g total carbs); Steamed White Fish with Scallions, Ginger and Soy Sauce (11.5g total carbs); Lemon Custard with low-carb Vanilla Ice Cream (22.6g total carbs).

     Sounds yummy — but the carb count doesn’t seem that low.

     Royal Caribbean International, Holland America Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line also have jumped on the low-carb craze at sea and soon will introduce similar types of menus adopting the concepts of  the Zone, Atkins, and South Beach diets.

Big Ship in Bermuda

     Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas will sail to Bermuda from Bayonne, NJ, next summer, making it the largest ship to call at the British island.  The line hasn’t announced the exact itinerary, but we can tell you that the ship will offer five-day cruises to the island.  Those will be alternated with the ship’s nine-day Caribbean sailings from Bayonne. Grandeur of the Seas also will sail to Bermuda from Baltimore for the first time, with similar itineraries to Voyager.

Easy Does It

     Catching a cruise ship without taking a plane to get to the port just keeps getting easier.

     Norwegian Cruise Line has added another transportation method to its Freestyle Connection program. In addition to motor coach and car services the line’s guests now will be able to take Amtrak trains at discounted prices of up to 25 percent to the line’s North American departure ports.

Reserve Excursions

     Guests of Silversea Cruises can now pre-book select shore excursions 60 days prior to sailing online through the company’s web site, www.silversea.com, but the option is not available within two weeks of departure.

     The cost of the tour will be charged to the guest’s shipboard account during their cruise.