Latest Travel News:

World's largest cruise ship operator to increase Sydney departures
June 18, 2012

THE world's largest cruise ship operator will increase ex-Sydney departures from eight this year to 41 in 2014 in a sign the cruising boom is far from over.

In a week that saw local tourism operators buy full-page newspaper advertisements to lobby for Federal government assistance against the buffeting of a high dollar and cheap foreign holiday packages, US-based Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) has wagered on the seemingly inexorable rise in popularity of cruising amongst Australians.

In 2011 we took 624,000 cruising holidays, up 34 per cent year on year.

"We have a theory: we go big, or we go home," said Jennifer Vandekreeke, vice president and general manager for CCL, a subsiduary of the Florida-based Carnival Corporation, whose portfolio includes P&O, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Cunard and Seabourn. CCL's 24 ships carried 4.2 million passengers last year.

In October, for the first time, CCL will base one of its ships permanently outside the US. The 2680-capacity Carnival Spirit has been given a $7 million upgrade and will feature an Aussie BBQ, comedy performances, live music, a child-free pool and spa area, and Green Thunder, the steepest and fastest waterslide at sea.

She will sail 3-12 night round trips from Sydney, with ports including New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and New Zealand. By the end of 2014 she will have sailed from Australian waters 86 times, carrying up to 230,000 passengers.

Source :- http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/