This month the cruise industry is all abuzz with the naming of two large mega-ships, the Carnival Dream and Oasis of the Seas. However, Viking River Cruises will officially launch its newest river ship, Viking Legend, with a christening event to be held in Amsterdam on November 23, 2009, making three big celebrations this month.

Viking has selected Stevi M. Tracas as Viking Legend's godmother, whose responsibility will be to break the traditional bottle of champagne across the ship's hull in a ceremony that is thought to bring good luck to the ship, its guests and crew. Stevi, a travel industry veteran, is married to Steve Tracas, President and CEO of Vacation.com, one of Viking's marketing partners.

The newest ship in the Viking River Cruises fleet, Viking Legend carries 189 guests in 97 staterooms, including two suites, 90 deluxe doubles and five singles, most with a French balcony. The ship's propulsion system is a "green" diesel-electric hybrid engine, and has innovative noise- and vibration-reduction features. For the 2010 season, Viking Legend will feature four different itineraries. Beginning the season sailing the 10-day Tulips & Windmills program through Holland and Belgium, she will then spend the majority of the season cruising Viking's popular Grand European Tour itinerary, traveling from Amsterdam to Budapest along the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers.

Viking Legend to be Christened in Amsterdam

Viking Legend Photo Courtesy of Viking River Cruises

Costa Cruises and the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) announced today that the new Costa Deliziosa with be named in Dubai. Costa and DTCM will team up for the event, which marks the first time a cruise ship will be named in an Arabian city. The new flagship of the Costa fleet will be inaugurated in the international locale on February 23, 2010. Today's announcement was made at World Travel Market in London.

The naming ceremony will take place during the ship's Grand Inaugural cruise, departing from Savona, Italy on February 5, 2010 and calling in Dubai from February 23-26. Costa guests sailing on the first leg of the grand maiden cruise will be able to attend the exclusive inaugural ceremony.

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It's hard to pick up a newspaper or turn on the television without hearing about climate change or global warming. Hurtigruten, which features expedition cruising, has added a May 2010 cruise with an educational twist--the opportunity for its passengers to see climate change research first hand. Amateur meteorologists and would-be scientists will love this cruise.

Hurtigruten educates its guests on a host of subjects -- culture, geography, historical aspects, botany, wildlife - and most importantly these days, some of the reasons for and effects of climate change on these destinations and its wildlife. That topic is the primary focus on a new voyage -- "Climate Pilgrimage" -- to Northern Norway and the Arctic island of Spitsbergen. The 11-day voyage, aboard one of the world's newest, polar-ready cruise ships, MS Fram, offers guests the opportunity to visit research stations, track wildlife, participate in field studies and meet with some of the field's top research scientists - getting the story from those who are best informed. The May 29, 2010 departure is priced from $4,823 to $9,516 per person, double.

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Princess Cruises has debuted an array of digital documents designed to transform the way passengers plan for and learn about their upcoming cruise. The all-new electronic format will deliver more information about their cruise than ever before, arriving conveniently by email and right to their computer desktop from the time of booking and continuing through departure.

The digital documents include a brand-new email series filled with personalized pre-cruise information, a downloadable Princess Countdown Connection widget that delivers useful and entertaining information to a passenger's computer, personalized online luggage tags, and customizable shore excursion eBooks. The change from printed information to fully digital documents applies to all North American passengers on voyages departing on or after January 21, 2010.
Princess Debuts Fully Digital Travel Documents