Cruise Industry Holds Safety and Regulatory Briefing January 19, 2012     Are large mega-ships with huge numbers of passengers less safe than smaller vessels? “No” said several maritime and cruise ship safety experts participating in a global cruise industry media briefing at the Millenium Gloucester Hotel in London today. “I don’t think it matters what the size is,” said Tom Allan, naval architect and chairman of the Cruise Ship Safety Forum, in disputing a reporter’s question about whether a bigger ship is less safe t...

24 Hours of Disney Magic! In celebration of Leap Day, for the first time ever, both the Magic Kingdom® Park in Florida and the Disneyland® Park in California will be open for 24 hours straight*, beginning at 6 a.m. on Feb. 29, 2012, to enjoy select attractions, entertainment and services! That’s an entire, non-stop day (and night) of magic and more.   Time is a precious thing. And, in 2012, it’s leap year so you will get an extra day to spend making memories with your family and friends.  Why not spend that extra day at the Disney Parks as Disney Parks celebr...

  The following 2012 Mexican Riviera cruises departing from Los Angeles on the Disney Wonder® are no longer being offered: Dec. 9, Dec. 16, Dec. 23 and Dec. 30, 2012. If you are booked on one of these voyages, you’ll be contacted by Disney Cruise Line® and offered the option of changing to another sail date in 2012, or a full refund. Remember, if you are specifically interested in sailing over the Christmas/New Year holiday, there are other exciting itineraries available to book now.   2012 Sail Date   Cruise Ship Departure Dec. 21 8-nigh...

   Mickey and Donald will have some new company on Disney's next cruise ship: The Muppets. Disney today announced that Kermit and the gang will be the subjects of a new adventure game aboard the 2,500-passenger Disney Fantasy, which debuts in March -- the first time the Jim Henson-created characters have had a permanent presence on a Disney ship.   The Muppets will star in The Case of the Stolen Show, a treasure hunt-like game in which passengers use clues found in animated "enchanted art" around the ship to solve a mystery. It's a variation on the Enchanted Art Detective...

Royal Caribbean to Install iPads in Every Splendour Stateroom Royal Caribbean International will install iPad mobile digital devices in every stateroom onboard the newly revitalized Splendour of the Seas. The touch-screen tablet will let guests access the daily Cruise Compass of events and activities as well as personal daily itineraries, including shore excursions. They can also monitor their onboard account, order room service, view restaurant menus, access the Internet and watch movies.