Carnival recovery to focus on ports in drive markets

The Carnival Horizon in Miami. Carnival Cruise Line is putting a renewed focus on U.S. homeports. Photo Credit: Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line will fall back on a tried-and-true strategy when the line eventually resumes service: It will bolster deployment throughout its network of homeports in mainland U.S. drive markets.

The line has always been the leader in U.S. homeport deployment, but it doubled down after 9/11 when many Americans were scared to fly.

When cruise ships sail again out of U.S. ports, all but three of its 23 ships (24, after the Mardi Gras comes on line in February) will be sailing from U.S. mainland ports. One vessel will be based in Europe seasonally and two in Australia.

And even the ships Down Under will rely on the Aussie drive market. 

Fred Stein, vice president of deployment for the line, said that two ports outside the mainland U.S. will lose a Carnival ship in the reshuffle: San Juan and Barbados, where passengers had been able to join seven-day San Juan cruises. Stein said the redeployment is directly tied to the effort to "focus more on our drive market business in North America."

By getting rid of its older and smaller Fantasy-class ships -- the Fantasy and the Inspiration are being dismantled, and the Fascination and Imagination are moving into long-term layup -- and adding both the 5,282-passenger Mardi Gras and a sister ship to the fleet later, by 2022 Carnival will have fewer ships but more capacity deployed in its North American homeports. 

While an increased emphasis on homeport deployment is part of Carnival's return-to-service strategy, it has long been a major focus for the line. It was the first, for example, to base ships in Tampa, Fla.; New Orleans; Mobile, Ala.; and San Diego. It expanded into Charleston, S.C., and Baltimore as it added new ships to the fleet. 

"Historically we have deployed from 18 North American homeports, and that has been very successful for us," Stein said. "It delivers a lot of drive-market guests. We're very popular with families -- for families of four to buy an airline ticket on top of a cruise is very expensive."

Coming out of the pandemic, the strategy is even more important, Stein said. 

"It makes more sense now," Stein said. "Not having to get on an aeroplane gives an advantage during the initial startup phase once all the protocols are put in place." 

Among the winners in Carnival's U.S. homeport strategy will be California, which will get newer and larger ships and departures from more ports. San Francisco will get more options, with Carnival offering its first Alaska cruises from that port. In another first for San Francisco, four-day "long weekend" trips to Ensenada, Mexico, will be scheduled.

In Long Beach, Calif., it will replace two Fantasy-class ships with the Carnival Radiance. The departing Fantasy-class ships were built in the early 1990s, whereas the Radiance will have recently completed a $200 million upgrade. 

"On an overall basis, California is growing," Stein said. "It has a much higher breadth of choices, and we've upgraded the hardware significantly."

On the other side of the country, Fort Lauderdale will lose some capacity in favour of Miami, which Stein notes is only 25 miles down the road, a distance that's not a significant factor to cruisers.

Carnival's one ship that sails seasonally in Europe is its only one that will depend on a fly-in market in 2021. Most of those passengers are sourced from North America, Stein said. 

"That's where our strength is and where our largest pool of past guests are from," Stein said. "And as they graduate through cruising, Europe is a bucket list item. It skews higher to the past guest market."

Anthony Hamawy, President of Cruise.com, said that the strategy works well for Carnival because of its focus on families and the value-driven market, as well as its long experience and success with homeport cruising. 

"We will see a bigger demand for homeport cruise than we will for cruising that requires that extra flight to get to the cruise," he said. "We've seen that in the past. There is some direct correlation now to what happened around 9/11 when people felt more comfortable a little closer to home, being able to park their car and get on a ship." 

And the early, short cruises from U.S. homeports, Hamawy said, are about more than revenue. 

"In the near term, everything will be about stepping stones, going back to basics and taking it slow and easy," he said. "They are not just looking at [these initial cruises] from a revenue point of view. They are looking to show people it's safe to cruise again. They are looking to change minds and they need to sail out safely and show consumers you're not going to have outbreaks."

He did note, however, that Cruise.com has seen a surge in Europe bookings for 2021. 

"There are companies like Royal, Princess, Holland America, Celebrity -- they are all doing well with Europe," he said. "People want to travel again. I think things will reopen and this will turn around a lot quicker than people know. Next year looks very strong for international travel."

To agents' delight, new cruise ships steaming for the West Coast

The Norwegian Bliss, shown here in a rendering, will make a June debut in Seattle.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — For years, agents on the West Coast have pleaded with suppliers to put new cruise ships in ports near their clients. Now they're getting their wish.

This year, the Norwegian Bliss will make a June debut in Seattle, the first time a new Norwegian Cruise Line ship has been stationed in the West since the Norwegian Star began sailing in Hawaii in 2001.

Next year, Carnival Cruise Line will launch its latest ship, the Carnival Panorama, in Long Beach, Calif., while Royal Caribbean International will move the Ovation of the Seas, just 2 years old, to Seattle.

Together, the three ships will add more than 12,000 new or nearly new lower berths, at least seasonally, to the West Coast market.

"It's very exciting. There's been a big need out here for a long time," said Betsy Geiser, vice president at Uniglobe Travel in Irvine, Calif. "Historically, it's been older ships and smaller ships. Carnival's making a big improvement by bringing [the Panorama] here."

With their proximity to the Caribbean, East Coast ports, particularly Miami and Fort Lauderdale, have long been the default homeports when a new vessel emerges from the shipyard.

In recent years, ports such as New York have also benefitted as fleets grew and lines cultivated new markets.

But in a sense, the West Coast is the cradle of the industry, said John Mast, vice president of marketing for Expedia CruiseShipCenters in Vancouver.

"It's important to remember that Princess, with that run down to Mexico, sort of kicked off the U.S. cruise industry in many ways," Mast said.

The California-Mexico itinerary, immortalized in "The Love Boat" television show, is still a mainstay of the market. Carnival plans to enrich Ensenada with new port activities in a bid to make Long Beach one of its biggest hubs. 

"I think there's been a renaissance going on for the West Coast, and I think that Carnival's investment is a very strong indicator of that," Mast said.

There are several reasons why the region is enjoying a rebirth, Mast said. One is the recent expansion of the Panama Canal. Before 2016, the cruise industry's newest and largest ships couldn't fit through the locks. Now that a wider channel has been opened, it is easier to move most large ships back and forth.

Also, after several years in which European cruise seasons were marred by terrorist activity, domestic ports have become more attractive long-term investments, especially in excursion-rich Alaska.

Mast said the new ships, with their go-kart tracks and Imax theatres, can help attract a younger demographic to Alaska.

"It seems kind of gimmicky to have a racetrack on the roof," he said, "but the reality is that Alaska is a wonderful summer vacation for families. Families are a huge market. If I know kids, that will immediately get them excited, and we know that kids play a role in forming the vacation choice."

For agents, the practical impact of having news ships on the West Coast is that they are easier and more profitable to sell.

Anita Pagliasso, president of Ticket to Travel in San Jose, Calif., said, "Cruisers are very excited about something new. It becomes lucrative because the pricing's always higher when a brand new ship comes out, so the higher the pricing, the higher the commission. It goes hand in hand, I think."

Pagliasso said the opportunities extended beyond West Coast agents. 

"I think some of the feedback I got, even some of the agents in the Midwest, was that [clients] have gone to Florida enough, and they want something different," she said. "This is a great opportunity for not only West Coast agents to promote these ships but other agents who have clients who have done all the cruising out of Florida and are looking for something new and exciting."

Fourth Oasis-class ship to be called Symphony of the Seas

Royal Caribbean's new 170,000-square-foot terminal in Miami will be home to two Oasis-class ships.

Royal Caribbean's fourth Oasis-class ship will be called Symphony of the Seas and begin service in late 2018 from its new Crown of Miami terminal.

The 5,400-passenger ship will be joined at the new terminal by another Oasis-class ship, Allure of the Seas.

Since the debut of the Allure in 2010, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale has been the home of two Oasis-class ships and Miami none. The new 170,000-square-foot terminal in Miami is being built to accommodate the giant ships and to create an iconic presence at PortMiami, where Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has its global headquarters.

The Harmony of the Seas, now sailing from Port Everglades, presumably will remain there while the Oasis of the Seas continues at Port Canaveral, Fla. The Harmony entered service last spring.

The four Oasis-class ships would give Royal Caribbean the capacity to carry 21,600 passengers or more per week from the three Florida ports.

On Wednesday, Royal Caribbean also will announce an agreement with the government of the Bahamas allowing RCCL to build a pier at its Coco Cay private island in the Bahamas and make other upgrades.

In return, RCCL will expand a program for local vendors at Coco Cay, make a commitment to hire more Bahamians to work on ships and start a training program in the Bahamas for hospitality workers.

NCL terminal in Miami to expand

Port of Miami

Norwegian Cruise Line will get an expanded terminal at PortMiami by 2020.
Under a proposal approved by the Miami-Dade County Commission, the existing terminals B and C at the port will be combined and a new Terminal B will be built. The two terminals will accommodate two 5,000 passenger ships at a time. 

The cost is expected to be about $100 million.

Already, MSC Cruises is renovating Terminal F for the arrival of its MSC Seaside and Royal Caribbean Cruises broke ground in March for a new Terminal A.

MSC to sail Meraviglia-class ship in Miami

MSC Meraviglia Translates to Wonder.

MONFALCONE, ITALY -- MSC Cruises will station a third ship in Miami starting in 2019, the company's executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago told an audience at the Fincantieri shipyard here.

The ship will be a Meraviglia-class vessel. MSC will introduce the first ship in that class in June, when the MSC Meraviglia is christened in Le Havre, France. The 4,500-passenger ship is scheduled to sail in Europe.

Vago's comment is the first indication that a Meraviglia class ship will sail outside of Europe.

MSC officials wouldn't say whether the Meraviglia class ship will stay in Miami year-round or only for the winter season. Beginning this November, MSC will base two ships in Miami when the MSC Seaside arrives to join the MSC Divina, which is already sailing from Miami. MSC Seaside is expected to cruise from Miami to the Caribbean year-round.

Vago commented during an event in which two gold-plated coins were welded into a small chamber on the keel of the second Seaside-class vessel, which will be called MSC Seaview. It is scheduled to be delivered in May 2018.

MSC has orders for 11 ships, with four under construction and an additional seven due by 2026. Vago suggested more of them are headed for the North American market. "We are primed to grow well beyond what we have officially announced today," he said.

The Seaside class boasts a distinct design with what MSC officials are describing as a "Miami condo" look to the aft, where a pool and a large promenade are located. "We wanted to turn a few heads in North America, we wanted to turn a few heads in Miami," Vago said.

He said MSC has signed a letter of intent to base all of its Caribbean ships at in Miami. The Meraviglia-class ship includes a theater custom-designed for Cirque du Soleil, which will form part of the entertainment offering.

After the two commemorative coins, one for MSC and one for Fincantieri, were attached to the keel, a massive 600-ton crane lifted the hull section off the quay and slowly manoeuvred it into position onto blocks in a subterranean construction dock, where other sections of the ship will be welded together until it is in a position to be floated out for finishing later this year.

Vago said MSC has committed to spending €2.5 billion with Fincantieri on the Seaside class, with an option for a third ship yet to be exercised.

He said that on Nov. 30, MSC will dock the ship in nearby Trieste and hold an open house so that the residents of the area can see it before it sails for Miami and a Dec. 21 christening there.

Norwegian Bliss to sail from Miami in winter

Norwegian Bliss to Cruise the Caribbean after a Alaskan season.

After spending its inaugural season in Alaska, the Norwegian Bliss will sail week long Caribbean cruises from Miami in winter 2017-18.

Beginning on Nov. 17, 2018, the Bliss will depart each Saturday on cruises that will call in St. Thomas, Tortola and Nassau.

Norwegian Cruise Line will bridge the Alaska and Miami deployments with a five-day sailing from Vancouver to Los Angeles, four round trip Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles, and a 14-day Panama Canal cruise from Los Angeles to Miami.

A rendering of the Haven observation launge on the Norwegian Bliss.

The Bliss will journey through the Panama Canal’s new locks, along with calling in Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, Mexico; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Cartagena, Colombia.

The Bliss is slated to enter service in June 2018, sailing Alaska cruises from Seattle.

MSC Seaside itinerary tweaked with private isle opening postponed

MSC Seaside

MSC Cruises changed the itinerary for the MSC Seaside to reflect the later opening date for its private island near Bimini.

The Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve had been slated to open in December 2017, but the opening was pushed back until May 2018. The Seaside is due to enter service in December 2017.

On eastern Caribbean itineraries the new Seaside was to have visited St. Thomas, Nassau and the reserve. It will now go to St. Maarten, San Juan and Nassau between its debut in December 2017 and May. On western Caribbean itineraries, it will visit Nassau instead of Ocean Cay, with the remaining stops in Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Mexico unchanged. 

MSC also said that the MSC Divina will substitute Nassau or Freeport and Martinique or San Juan instead of Ocean Cay, depending on the itinerary.

Time to Party on the Carnival Vista

Time to Party on the Carnival Vista

Carnival Vista is a cruise ship built for Carnival Cruise Line, which was delivered on April 28th 2016.^[9] Sea trials were completed in March 2016. The ship's maiden voyage is set to embark on May 1, 2016 from Trieste, Italy on a 13 day Europe Cruise that ends in Barcelona, Spain.

Design and construction

By gross tonnage, she will be the largest ship within Carnival Cruise Lines's fleet. The ship was constructed in the Fincantieri shipyard of Monfalcone (Gorizia) and has been delivered April 2016. 

The first steel for the ship was cut in late February 2014, and the keel was laid in October 2014.^[9] The Carnival Vista Coin Ceremony/Float out was done in June 2015. ^[10]

Carnival Vista is the first Carnival cruise ship fitted with ABB Azipod propulsion units since the 2004-built Carnival Miracle.

Home port

Vista will operate an inaugural season in the Mediterranean from May to October 2016 before repositioning to New York to offer a pair of round trip cruises.

She will then move to her new homeport in Miami in November 2016 where she will sail year around.

She will offer 6 and 8 day Caribbean cruises with ports of call such as Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire.

SkyRide new to cruising.

Features

Carnival Vista will have outdoor spots like Havana Bar & Pool, SkyRide at SportSquare (an 800-foot-long track suspended around its top deck that passengers can circle in pedal-powered capsules), and Seafood Shack plus plenty of spaces like the first IMAX at sea. 

The Vista has custom Cuban themed staterooms and new Family Harbor staterooms. 

The Clubhouse features indoor activities like mini-bowling and arcade-style basketball, soccer, volleyball and table tennis. The ship will also have SkyGreens, a mini golf course on Deck 12.

Tonnage:	133,500 GT
Length:	1,062 ft (324 m)
Beam:	122 ft (37 m) 158 ft (48 m) at pool decks [7]
Draught:	27 ft (8.2 m)
Decks:	15
Propulsion:	Diesel-electric; Two ABB Azipod XO units
Speed:	23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)
Capacity:	3,936 passengers (double occupancy)
Crew:	1,450

Name:	Carnival Vista[1][2]
Owner:	Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator:	Carnival Cruise Line
Port of registry:	Panama
Route:	8-13 Day European cruise from May 2016 - October 2016
Ordered:	2012
Builder:	Fincantieri, Italy
Cost:	US$780 million
Way number:	6242
Laid down:	October 14, 2014
Launched:	25 June 2015
Acquired:	April 28, 2016
Maiden voyage:	May 1, 2016
Identification:	IMO 9692569
Status:	In Service

MSC Divina will return to Miami in 2016

MSC Cruises said that MSC Divina will sail from Miami during the summer of 2016, giving it a year-round presence in the Caribbean again.

MSC had said that Divina would return from the Mediterranean this fall but hadn’t announced deployment beyond April 2016.

With the announcement, MSC published itineraries for Divina through March 2017. They will rotate between eastern and western Caribbean routes and call in St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Mexico and the Bahamas.

As previously announced, MSC plans to deploy a new ship, the MSC Seaside, from Miami starting in November 2017. The MSC Seaside is expected to sail to the Caribbean year round.

Divina sailings from April 2016 through March 2017 will go on sale on Friday, May 1. In an introductory promotion,  MSC said it will offer consumers a shipboard credit, a beverage package and a WiFi package, depending on the category of stateroom booked.

The line will also offer 18% flat commission for group bookings, along with complimentary stateroom upgrades and shipboard credit for guests in the group.

Carnival Vista to sail from Miami

The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners approved a new lease for Carnival Corp. at Port Miami that stipulates the Carnival Vista will use the port after it is delivered next year.

The deal calls for Carnival Vista to sail from Port Miami for 24 months out of its first three years in service. Carnival had not previously disclosed where Vista would sail from after its inaugural series of cruises next summer in the Mediterranean. 

Carnival’s newest ship, Carnival Breeze, currently sails from Miami. Its next most recent ship, Carnival Magic, debuted in Galveston, Texas, after a European summer launch.

Marine wildlife artist Guy Harvey to paint Norwegian Escape hull

By Tom Stieghorst

MIAMI BEACH — Norwegian Cruise Line's next ship will feature a giant sailfish, stingray and other marine creatures on its hull, painted by conservation artist Guy Harvey.

Harvey unveiled his design in at a news conference Wednesday at the Cruise Shipping Miami event, saying he was "honored indeed" to be chosen for the job.

Norwegian's detailed and colorful hull paintings have become a defining feature of the brand. The two most recent vessels, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, have stylized representations of New York and Miami, respectively.

Escape will be based out of Miami when it debuts in November 2015. The port agreed to provide Norwegian with marketing support in exchange for a commitment to homeport the ship there.

Harvey is a marine wildlife artist and fisherman who has in recent years turned his efforts to preservation of the ocean and sea creatures. He has licensed many of his images for apparel and other uses and his name is used to co-brand resorts in Florida, the Bahamas and the Galapagos.

He lives in the Cayman Islands and is most closely linked to the Caribbean and Bahamas. "The maintenance of the ecology and aesthetics of the region are of the highest importance," Harvey said.

Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan said fees from apparel and other licensed goods to be sold on Norwegian ships will be channeled back to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, which supports scientific research and education.

Sheehan said the 4,200-passenger Escape will sail seven-day eastern Caribbean itineraries that include Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas; and Nassau, Bahamas.

Bookings open March 19 for agents with groups and March 26 to the general public.

Norwegian Getaway Floats Out From Building Dock

Norwegian Getaway Floats Out From Building Dock

PAPENBURG, GERMANY – November 4, 2013 – Norwegian Getaway, whose construction has taken 12 months, was floated out of MEYER WERFT’s covered building dock II on Saturday, November 2 in Papenburg, Germany where the 146,600-ton ship has been under construction since November 2012 when the ship’s keel was laid.  Beginning at approximately 3:30 pm local time, the massive 4,000 passenger ship with her signature hull artwork designed by Miami artist David “LEBO” Le Batard, which features a whimsical mermaid holding the sun above the waves, departed building dock II bow first.  Norwegian Getaway, sister ship to Norwegian Breakaway, has an overall length of 324 meters, and is 39.70 meters wide.

The ship’s float out represents a major milestone in the vessel’s construction as it denotes that the ship has now moved into the final phase of construction with delivery taking place on January 10, 2014.
“Hats off once again to the team at MEYER WERFT for building an absolutely spectacular vessel in record time,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “We are now in the home stretch and looking forward to the launch of Miami’s ultimate ship.”
“This new vessel, built in merely 12 months, is one of the largest and most technologically advanced ships in the world,” said Bernard Meyer, Managing Partner of MEYER WERFT. “We are thrilled to see her leaving the building dock and getting ready for her sea trials.”

Following the float out, tests were carried out in the harbor and the ship was berthed alongside the yard's outfitting pier.   Next week, the first crew members will move into their staterooms on board, and begin to familiarize themselves with the ship, readying her for guests. Norwegian Getaway's conveyance down the river Ems towards the North Sea, where she will prove her seaworthiness, is scheduled for mid-November (weather permitting).

Following inaugural events in Europe, New York and Miami, Norwegian Getaway will sail seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruises departing every Saturday from Miami beginning on February 8, 2014. For more information on Norwegian Cruise Line, or to book a cruise, contact a travel professional, call Norwegian at 866-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784), or visit www.ncl.com.  Additional information on Norwegian Getaway can be found at www.getaway.ncl.com. 



Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Getaway is Miami’s ultimate ship and will embody the essence of her tropical hometown with hull artwork by Miami’s own David “LEBO” Le Batard, which features a whimsical mermaid holding the sun above the waves.
Featuring groundbreaking entertainment, Norwegian Getaway boasts sizzling Latin-inspired dance productions by Broadway sensation, Burn the Floor; performances of the seven-time Tony Award nominated musical LEGALLY BLONDE; hilarious comedy headliners produced by Levity Entertainment Group; and the sing along fun of the dueling pianos of Howl at the Moon.  The ship is the first to feature the GRAMMY® Experience at sea, which will include artifacts chosen and curated by the GRAMMY Museum® along with live performances by past GRAMMY winners and nominees, among others. Another first of its kind at sea, The Illusionarium is an all-new dining and entertainment experience that will envelop guests in the fascinating world of magic, inviting them to experience the astonishing illusions of world-class magicians and supernatural special effects. To cap off a spectacular cruise experience, every sailing will feature a dazzling fireworks show at sea, set to music, as part of a dance party in the ship’s outdoor club, Spice H20.
Similar to sister ship Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway will dazzle guests with the excitement of 678 Ocean Place and The Waterfront, a variety of interconnected indoor and outdoor venues on three dynamic decks that creates a multiplex of dining, activities and more and enhances guests’ connection with the ocean.  Norwegian Getaway will also feature Miami’s coolest place to chill out – the ship’s SVEDKA/Inniskillin Ice Bar, featuring Art Deco-style décor, reminiscent of Miami Beach’s famous Ocean Drive.
Foodies setting sail from Miami on Norwegian Getaway can feast in their choice of 27 incredible dining options, including Celebrity Chef and Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian’s three dining concepts: Ocean Blue by Geoffrey Zakarian; Ocean Blue on the Waterfront and The Raw Bar. Buddy Valastro, star of the popular TLC series “Cake Boss” also has an outpost of his famous Carlo’s Bakery onboard, serving up delicious treats like cannolis lobster tails and specialty cakes.

For families, Nickelodeon®, the number-one entertainment brand for kids, is on board and includes a variety of exciting interactive experiences, along with the opportunity to meet SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Dora the Explorer and Diego, among other favorites. Norwegian Getaway will also include an all new pirate-themed Nickelodeon Kids’ Aqua Park where children can cool off with colorful, whimsical and larger than life Nickelodeon characters from Bikini Bottom. 
The three-story Sports Complex will feature the Aqua Park with five thrilling water slides, two swimming pools and one of the largest multi-level elevated ropes course that will challenge guests to more than 40 different elements, including a zip track. For a thrill like no other, guests will confront The Plank, a platform that extends eight feet over the side of the ship.  A nine-hole miniature golf course is located beneath the ropes course, offering family fun with friendly competition.  A rock climbing wall, bungee trampoline and spider web, a 24-foot enclosed climbing cage complete with a spiral slide, round out the activities.
Norwegian Getaway offers a variety of flexible accommodations ranging from Studio staterooms specially designed for solo travelers, to balcony and family staterooms and opulent suites in The Haven, the ultimate in luxury accommodations.

- See more at: http://www.getaway.ncl.com/latest/press-releases/norwegian-getaway-floats-out-from-building-dock/view/2013-11-04#sthash.hEAmxs1J.dpuf

All Disney ships to sail from Florida in early 2015

By Jerry Limone

All four of Disney Cruise Line’s ships will sail from Florida ports in the first four months of 2015, three from Port Canaveral and one from Miami.

Bookings for these 2015 winter cruises open to the public on Nov. 14.

The Disney Dream will sail three- and four-day Bahamas cruises, and the Disney Magic will sail seven-day eastern and western Caribbean cruises. Both ships will be based in Port Canaveral. The Disney Fantasy will sail seven-day eastern Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral.

The Disney Wonder will sail from Miami on four-day Bahamas and five-day western Caribbean cruises.

Ships will call at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, on all cruises.

Miami Dolphins cheerleaders to christen Norwegian Getaway

By Tom Stieghorst

South Florida's version of the Rockettes? That would be the Miami Dolphins cheerleading squad.

Norwegian Cruise Line announced that the cheerleaders for the NFL franchise will be godmothers of the Norwegian Getaway when the ship debuts in February.

Getaway is designed to sail year-round from Miami and be iconic of all things from South Florida. It has Latin restaurants, and a Miami artist designed the hull art.

As part of the package, Norwegian becomes the official cruise line of the Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium, where the football team plays home games.

Previously, Norwegian picked Radio City Music Hall troupe The Rockettes to be godmothers of the New York-themed Norwegian Breakaway, which debuted earlier this year.