Norweigian Cruise Lines Announces Addition of Blue Man Group to Entertainment Facilities

The eternally creepy Blue Man Group, for whatever reason, remains one of the most popular entertainment acts in the world. And beginning in 2010, they will be cross-transcontinental (or something) as they'll be the featured act on Norweigian Cruise Lines' newest boat: The EPIC.

Also featured? The classic Norweigian go-to, Second City Stage group will perform in a comedy club aboard the 4,200 passenger ship.

But wait! There's more!

The EPIC will also have a bar made of ice (I have no clue as to why it's relevant, but it seems pretty freaking cool), cabins with curved walls, seen below in quite dope fashion, and a "Cirque Dreams" (think de Sol) show in the Spiegel Tent, which looks like a Barnum and Bailey tent party. People will have their waters refilled by ILLUSION, in which the air will lift a pitcher and pour water ... well, you get it. Excitement, etc., especially for family cruising.

Flesh-Eating Bacteria Claims Life of Cruiser

The British media has been hard at work covering the story of a cruise passenger who died after contracting a flesh eating bacteria.

58-year-old Raymond Evans was on a Mediterranean cruise two months ago when he fell in a port city and injured his knee. Upon returning to the ship Evans was treated by the ship's doctor and given rounds of antibiotics.

Some time later, a black spot had shown up on the back of his knee. The knee continued to worsen, and the "blotchy blackness" and deterioration spread to his chest, elbow and fingers.

Evans was placed in the ship's hospital for care and transferred to an intensive care unit at a hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, where he died of multiple organ failure. His death came less than 24 hours after the black spot first appeared on the back of his knee. The cause: a flesh-eating bacteria called necrotizing fasciitis.

According to CDC estimates, necrotizing fasciitis causes between 10,000 and 15,000 infections in the United States every year. Of those, 2,000 to 3,000 prove fatal. The bacteria is most commonly contracted through a wound, often after surgery or injury.

Raymond Evans death was a tragedy, but it's paramount that news organizations not blow these types of events out of proportion. Even if he was infected on board the ship, it doesn't change the reality that cruising has been and remains one of the safest options for travel. It is no more dangerous than staying in a hotel in a major city or using public transportation.

Swine Flu (A H1N1 Virus) dominated the news cycle for the last two weeks as the world watched the infected count rise into the low hundreds. There was even a news story about how the only pig in Afghanistan, on display at a Kabul zoo, had been quarantined to quell local fears and misunderstandings about the virus.

According to the CDC, since January more than 13,000 Americans have died of complications with seasonal flu. The very same flu that comes around every single year. The CDC also estimates that worldwide deaths from the standard seasonal flu number between 250,000 and 500,000.

All this isn't to say that swine flu is a casual issue or that Raymond Evans' death was insignificant, both are important events and deserve to be reported. Evans' widow deserves answers about her husband's medical treatment aboard the ship and in the hospital in Alexandria and our condolences go out to her.

But none of these stories justify sounding the alarm bells over cruising or travel in general. If they do, then people may as well just stay inside for the rest of their lives, stop driving cars, stop eating at restaurants, etc...

What the world really needs right now is a vacation... not another incredibly obscure reason to be afraid.

Cruise West Announces World's Longest Cruise

Around-the-world cruising isn't a new concept, but no one's ever done it quite like this.

Cruise West recently announced its plan to circumnavigate the globe in a leisurely 335 days. The cruise will be, by far, the longest of its kind in the industry. More information and an itinerary are expected later this month, but for now the cruise line has kept details to a minimum:

The ship will visit 59 countries over 14 oceans and seas during a cruise that intends to trace the destinations of historical sailors and explorers.

Jules Verne eat your heart out. For more information about Cruise West or their individual ships, visit PTG's unbiased professional review with information on everything from amenities to services and the history of the cruise line.

FareFinder: Wednesday April 29

Miley Cyrus (aka, Hannah Montana) and Atlantis, Paradise Island are teaming up for the "Miley Cyrus Weekend in Paradise" package, which includes accommodations and tickets to an exclusive Miley Cyrus concert on May 16. Rates start at $499 per person, $209 per child (ages 11 years and under). No word on whether Jaimie Foxx is scheduled to appear.

Princess Cruises' Escape the Economy sale going on now. Offers include 2-for-1 deals on select cruises and free upgrades.

The state of Colorado wants you to visit, so much so that the state's tourism board has launched HOTDEALSCOLORADO.com, providing vacationers easy access to more than 250 great vacation deals from throughout the state.

Your weekly Continental.com last-minute airfare deals include roundtrip airfare from Houston to Acapulco for $159. Combine that with some really great deals on hotels and you've got a cheap vacation all set.

Delta.com's weekly web fares include LA or San Francisco to Kennedy for $99 each way.

FareFinder: Tuesday, April 14

Walt Disney World offers up The Magical Mother’s Day Weekend Package, starting at $499, and includes three-day/two-night stay at the Swan and Dolphin Resort, a 50-minute Swedish massage for mom and more.

The Buckingham Hotel in NYC offering two art lover's packages, one for the Museum of Modern Art and another for The Museum of Arts and Design. Each include accommodations and tickets to museums and start at $249 a night.

Princess Cruises offering specials on its 12-day Emerald Isles & Russian Splendors May sailings onboard its Tahitian Princess, starting at $799 with promo code UEF. Ask an agent for details.

Your weekly Continental.com airfare specials.

Starting June 28, Southwest Airlines flies from LaGuardia to Chicago for $89 each way and Baltimore/D.C. for $49 each way. And the flights are filling up fast.

FareFinder: Tuesday, March 31

Spring is here, which means golf season is, too. Marriott Vacations and the Faldo Golf Institute are offering “Class Is In” packages starting at $955 for 3-Day Golf Schools and $635 for 2-Day Golf Schools, which includes villa accommodations, personalized instruction and three rounds of championship golf in Orlando or Palm Desert, CA.

In honor of its 50-year celebration, the four-star Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is offering 50% off hotel rates through 2009 when you book your stay online in the month of May.

Your weekly, last-minute airfare specials from Continental.com and Delta.com for the week.

Carnival Cruise Lines' summer sales include $50-$120 in onboard credit for select Caribbean cruises.

Last-minute cruise deals on Royal Caribbean International ships include a five-night western Caribbean sailing for as little as $349.

Hurtigruten Offers the Deal of Lifetime

As mentioned earlier in the Farefinder...

If you've never been on a cruise, now would be a good time to consider it. At this point, it's old news that cruise lines around the world are offering amazingly low-rates to combat the struggling economy. However, Hurtigruten has just taken their rates to newsworthy lows.

Hurtigruten has unveiled a program on two of its 2009 Greenland cruises that offers an all-inclusive approach and savings up to 68%. The "Pay One Price" deal is available on all suites and staterooms on the 318-berth Fram, a deluxe expedition ship, for the season's two one-way sailings.

Suites, normally $16,676 to $20,366 per person, double, are being priced at $5,499 to $7,249, while staterooms, normally $12,536 to $15,716, are $3,999 to $5,249. Suite bookings include two optional excursions; wine, beer or soda at meals; and a bottle of Champagne. The booking deadline is March 31.

Although Greenland might not be the exotic destination you'd always imagined, travelers can count on beautiful scenery and luxurious accommodations. Plus, with all the money saved in the process, you can make a pretty respectable offer to buy Iceland during the stop over in Reykjavik.

FareFinder: Thursday, February 26

Sandals Resorts offering last-minute getaways, including four nights in the Bahamas for as little as $2,100.

Hurtigruten slashes prices on 17- to 21-day Greenland cruises, including airfare from NYC.

In response to AirTran specials, airlines rush to discount competing fares. Case in point: this Continental flight from Raleigh-Durham to Newark-Liberty.

Five-star Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich celebrates it re-opening anniversary with buy-one, get-one up to four nights.

Today is Carnival Cruise Line's one-day sale. Specials include a 5-day Caribbean cruise from Galveston for $279.

FareFinder: Tuesday, February 24

47 last-minute airfare deals from Continental hubs in Newark Liberty, Houston and Cleveland

Apple Vacations offering three night, all inclusive values from $599.

Discount airline Southwest to begin Boston flights into Logan this fall

MSC Cruises offering 60% off Transatlantic sailings from Ft. Lauderdale on MSC Orchestra and MSC Lirica

Divi Resorts in the Caribbean offering up to 40% off vacation packages, as well as food & beverage credit

Vantage Travel offering 16-day South American tour, including hotels, meals, airfare and sightseeing, for $3,999

Carnival Cruise Lines' one-day sale is this Thursday

FareFinder: February 10

With poor economy comes great responsibility. Or something ridiculous like that. Farefinder brings the best deals around the web to lighten the travel weight on your wallet. 

Continental.com specials for the week

Southwest Airlines Yes You Can! sale offers $49 one-way flights

NCL's Freestyle Resolution: Up to $250 on-board credit and $99 sailings

Princess Cruises continues its Balcony Bonanza deals

Single in NYC? Mandarin Oriental has a plan

Alcatraz Does Its Part to Help the Environment

Alcatraz Island/Prison is a cool place to visit, especially if you're a huge Nick Cage fan (in which case we all invite you to permanently stay there) and loved The Rock. It's so popular, in fact, that approximately 1.4 million people visit it each year.

And since everyone one of those people has to be ferried over from San Francisco, it can leave a pretty large carbon footprint. But Alcatraz Cruises is helping out with that.

To help reduce this environmental impact recently launched their very own green solution - the Hornblower Hybrid ferry. The multi-hulled hybrid boat uses two wind turbines and a solar array to generate power for its navigation tools, lighting, and even part of its propulsion system.

Note the diagram above, except with less Beetles-esque cartoony graphics from the 1960's. Now, if you're into science, feel free to head over to their website and download the fact sheet and press release and whatnot. And if you're really gung-ho about visiting an old prison in an eco friendly boat, you can email the folks to set up a tour.

New Kids on the Block - Cruise Edition

At PTG, we're never short on cruise information (for best possible results, we recommend reading the Family Cruise List) and we're certainly never shocked by things that happen in the travel world. Well, "never" might be a bit strong. Because I was pretty shocked when I found out that the New Kids on the Block would be hosting a reunion tour on a cruise ship.

Yes, you read that line correctly.

"Our manager tells us this is not a cheesy thing, this is not a step back," says [Joey] McIntyre in the video.

The New Kids ship hits the water from May 15-18, launching from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., then heading to the Bahamas.

It will include musical performances and schmoozing.

"We're not going to be drinking pina coladas, we'll be serving them," McIntryre said.

It's almost, um, too good to believe, isn't it? Perhaps you've had a crush on Drama Donnie Wahlberg ever since you were rocking out braces. Or perhaps you've always just wanted to sit around at a cruise boat's pool, laugh with your friends and throw a margarita in Jordan Knight's face.

Either way, now's your time. Tickets go on sale this Wednesday, so you better get the jump on all those teeny boppers middle aged women that'll be first in line.

FareFinder: Wednesday, January 7

We love celebrities almost as much as we love travel deals. Just imagine our joy when found a combination of the two:

Concert at Sea: Carnival Cruise Lines's March 27 sojourn to Cabo is gonna be rocking. Literally. John Mayer (okay, "rock" is a stretch), as well as a host of other musicians will perform on board the Carnival Splendor when it docks in Cabo. No word on whether Jennifer Aniston will make an appearance. Cabins available through January 31.

Canadian wilderness tour: The luxury tour group Horizon & Co. is offering discounted rates and free airfare for booking its 8-day Great River Journey by January 15. The only catch is that you must take the tour in June.

Jet-set with JetBlue: Weekly airfare deals for the unencumbered (i.e. Can get away from the kids, job, wife, etc.) are all over the place. JetBlue's weekly specials include flights between Long Beach and Vegas for $39 each way, West Palm and Newark Liberty for $84 each way and JFK and Phoenix for $129 each way. Book by January 14.

Aruba resort deal: A PTG Editor's Pick, the Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa is offering the Larimar Spa Package, which includes accommodations for two guests for four, five or seven nights and choice of spa treatments or rounds of golf based on number of nights. Rates starting at $2,375 and available through April 18.

Photo cred: E! Online

FareFinder: Ushering in 2009

After a holiday hiatus, we're back to offer the best travel deals that come across the PTG desk each day. So, off we go:

Free Meals at Caribbean Resort: Guests who book four nights or more in one of Amanyara's Pavilions or Villas between January 4 and October 31, 2009 (excluding Presidents' Week, February 12-16, and Easter, April 3-17) will enjoy complimentary meals throughout their stay.

"Balcony Bonanza": Princess Cruises is offering couples free upgrades and $1,200 in savings on hundreds of cruises through 2009. Must be booked by the end of February.

More cruise deals: Travel to Europe on Oceania Cruises and you'll be rewarded with a $2,000 price reduction off two-for-one cruise fares, plus free airfare per stateroom on 18 of the company's 2009 European Collection sailings.

Continental.com weekly specials: A FareFinder favorite, the big last minute specials this week include roundtrips from Newark Liberty to Bermuda and Houston to Monterrey, Mexico for under $200. Book by Friday.

Delta.com Web fares: Delta is also offering some good deals online, including one-ways starting at $69 on routes such as LaGuardia to Orlando or Tampa, Salt Lake City to Las Vegas and Washington-Reagan to Reno. Book by Saturday.

Bondian Boats Could Be the Future of Cruising

Everyone loves James Bond. How can you not? Unless you're e-vil anyway. And as such, everyone should be pretty excited for the newest "cruise ship" that is being slowly introduced to the public.

It's the Wave Adaptive Modular Vessel, it's freaking awesome, and Santa apparently forgot to bring me one this year.

But designers say the vessel could, in the future, be used as a luxury cruiser, a scuba diving boat or a passenger ship for up to 12 people.

They say they have already designed, manufactured and tested 8ft radio-controlled models and a 50ft personal craft as well as the 100ft Proteus.

A spokesman for the group said: 'The WAM-V is a new class of watercraft based on a patented technology that delivers a radically new seagoing experience.

Now, obviously the particular boat in the pictures (which would be insanely cool to drive) isn't going to be used right away for luxury cruising -- it's the technology that will be utilized, if I understand correctly -- in order to better equip cruise ships for the high seas.

This is primarily because the hulls of the ship -- two giant inflatable tubes -- adapt (i.e. mold themselves) to the contours of the ocean (you know, because they're inflatable).

But still, if normal, everyday folks like you and me ever get to ride on one of these things, well, that's enough of a technological application to make me happy for now. In the meantime, I recommend Carnival.

Carnival Cruise Lines Sues Rolls Royce for $100 Million

These are not the halcyon days of the auto-industry. That is, if you can have a time, usually in the past, of greatest happiness or success actually in the present. Which you probably can't, but that's neither here nor there. The point being that with GM, Ford and Chrysler all already in trouble, it appears as if luxury automotive dealer Rolls Royce might be facing a little financial problem too.

Only they're not running out of money; they're just getting sued by Carnival Cruise lines. For $100 million.

According to the complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Carnival seeks more than $100 million, claiming that Rolls-Royce defrauded Carnival into the "selection, acceptance and continued use" of the Mermaid pod propulsion system.

"The Mermaids are simply defective and do not function as it was represented that they would," the suit states. "Most importantly, it is now also clear that the defendants have known about this situation all along and that they have deliberately conspired to mislead, deceive and defraud Carnival into believing otherwise."

The Mermaids are, obviously, made by Rolls Royce (engines, natch) and used by Carnival on their boats. And oddly enough, this isn't the first time that Carnival has come after the high end auto maker -- in 2003, the cruise line sued them for issues with a propulsion pod system and asking for $300 million.

So, at least on the bright side, Carnival recognizes that these are tough economic times and is being reasonable about how much they're asking for from Rolls.

Cruise Ship Outruns Pirates

Over the weekend, an Oceania-line cruise ship was attacked by pirates off the coast of Yemen. The Nautica was on a 32-day cruise from Rome to Singapore when the incident occurred. Although it was the first time one of the company's ships had been threatened by pirates, the captain and crew wasted no time in their response, quickly leaving the two small skiffs in their wake.

The ship took evasive maneuvers and accelerated to its full speed of 23 knots or 27 mph. One of the smaller craft closed to within 300 yards and fired eight rifle shots at the cruise ship, he said, but the ship was able to pull away.

The Nautica escaped without damage or injury to its 684 passengers and 400 crew, and arrived safely on schedule in Salalah, Oman early on Monday morning.

Although the incident occurred in a Maritime Safety Protection Area patrolled by international anti-piracy task forces, the Nautica was on its own as it sped from pirates at a blistering 27 miles per hour. Sources at the Maritime Bureau pointed out that although the zone was created to give safer passage to ships, it's impossible to guarantee the protection of every ship in such a large area.

Some travelers may shy away from cruising after hearing stories like this and others about pirates in Somalia, but there are two factors to consider. First and foremost, attempts on large passenger ships are incredibly rare (this was the first of its kind in 2008 and pirates generally target cargo ships) and cruising remains, by and large, a safe and fun way to vacation. Second, what more of a testament do you need for the qualification of a ship's crew and captain? Oceania escaped with more than their ship, crew and passengers... you better believe those 684 passengers are going to have some brand loyalty the next time they book a cruise.

SeaDream Makes Cruising Cool Again

Generally when people think of cruising they imagine one of three things: old people, families with young children, or drunk college students. One company has recently started breaking those stereotypical barriers by increasing the flexibility of their departure times, port selections and activities. SeaDream has been so successful at marketing themselves to adult couples, that they've reduced their average travel age by more than a decade.

SeaDream Yacht Club has managed to tap into the market of younger, affluent vacationers that make its average passenger age 47 and falling. That is about a decade younger than the average age on its competitors' ships: Most luxury cruise passengers average in the late 50s to early 60s...

SeaDream's formula -- 100-passenger ships visiting smaller ports where larger cruise ships can't go, spending nights in some ports and leaving others late -- seems to work with younger cruisers, including many who have never cruised before. And unlike the first-time cruisers on Carnival Cruise Lines or Norwegian Cruise Line, SeaDream seems to attract vacationers who otherwise might not have ever cruised.

Beyond the more flexible times, SeaDream is generally more flexible than most cruise lines about activities and the use of company equipment (i.e. more fun with tiny boats that don't belong to you). They're also the only cruise line that, weather permitting, gives guests the option to spend the night outside on daybeds with down comforters. With an average age of 47, SeaDream still may be a slightly older crowd than the vacation you had in mind. But don't be shy, the next time you're planning a trip remember that cruising has a new, slightly younger face in the crowd.

Sun, Sea and Song: NCL bringing them all together

Just got word on a great cruise experience. You know, for those who like parties, concerts, the Caribbean -- that sort of thing.

NCL has teamed with Sixthman, a travel company that creates "experiences" aboard cruise ships, to create two music-themed cruise trips in February. The first is Ships & Dip aboard the Norwegian Jewel, which will feature concerts by a bunch of acts -- including a little band called Barenaked Ladies -- and will be sailing around the Western Caribbean for five days. The second is Cayamo: A Journey Through Song on the Norwegian Dawn, and will feature The Indigo Girls, Lyle Lovett and Shawn Colvin, among others, over the course of a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise.

Limited space is available as of this post, and I'm sure they're going to sell out fast. Prices are starting around $750 per, which include admission to concerts, plus the standard cruise fare (food, activities, etc). Both are departing out of Miami. Sounds like it's going to be a blast.

Image via NCL

Celebrity Solstice Hailed as High Point in Ship Design

There hasn't been this much excitement about a cruise ship since Cletis launched "Governor" (pictured right) back in '98. But seriously. The Celebrity Solstice is truly one-of-a-kind. The ship cost $750 million to complete and includes unique amenities like a half-acre lawn club with real grass, where adults can enjoy lawn games at sea. Amazingly, that's not even the source of the travel-industry hype.

Most experts cite the ship's unique design and atmosphere for all the buzz surrounding Solstice's launch. Despite having accommodations for 2,850 passengers (making it Celebrity's largest ship), the Solstice maintains an intimate sophisticated atmosphere many have compared to a boutique hotel. Personally I could care less about the fancy rooms and flat-screens. As someone who keeps a set of bocce balls in the trunk of their car at all times, I just can't wait for the yard games. Maybe if we get a petition going they'll bring back lawn darts...