Cruise Buzz Live 

Roundup of cruise news via social media week ending Jan. 23, 2014.

It has been one busy week in the cruise industry. It seemed like every time I opened my email, another cruise news announcement was waiting for me. So, I decided to buzz around the social media circuit to find the best headlines of the week to share with my friends, fans, followers, and cruise peeps wanting to know what’s buzzing in the cruise biz.

Carnival Announces Concert Series and Major Entertainment Revamp

Carnival Cruise Lines has is trying  to bring the best in live music to the seas, according to a press release on January 22, 2014. The  music experience is called, the Carnival LIVE Concert Series, which will offer Carnival guests the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive onboard performance by a diverse roster of popular music artists while ships are docked at select ports of call. Carnival has booked 49 performance dates for the 2014 concert series with the following artists:

• 38 Special
• Chicago
• Daughtry
• Foreigner
• Gavin DeGraw
• Jennifer Hudson
• Jewel
• Kansas
• Lady Antebellum
• LeAnn Rimes
• Martina McBride
• Olivia Newton-John
• REO Speedwagon
• STYX
• Trace Adkins

In addition to the Carnival LIVE Concert Series, Carnival is also enhancing its popular shipboard house bands. The bands will feature both male and female lead singers, a more choreographed, themed and diverse set list, and increased interaction with guests. Nine Carnival ships currently feature the new bands, with implementation across the full fleet over the course of this year.

“Onboard entertainment is an important part of the overall guest experience when cruising,” said Mark Tamis, senior vice president of guest operations for Carnival Cruise Lines.

“With the Carnival LIVE Concert Series, our guests will enjoy an exclusive performance with one of their favorite artists for an extraordinary value. Combined with our enhanced house bands fleetwide, this is just another example of the many ways we are constantly looking to create even more fun and memorable moments for our guests.” The concerts will begin in April 2014 and will  take place on board eight Carnival ships that call in the following ports: Cozumel, Mexico; Nassau, the Bahamas; and Catalina Island, California. Artists will join the ship while in port, perform in the main show lounge that evening, and debark following their show. Tickets cost $20-40 each and a limited number of VIP tickets are also available for each show for $100-$150 each. The VIP experience includes an artist meet and greet, photo opportunity, seating in the first three rows and a commemorative laminated concert pass. All tickets can be purchased through Carnival’s online Shore Excursion System prior to sailing, or on board participating ships at the Shore Excursion Desk based on availability.

Heineken Throws Party for Norwegian Getaway Crew (read more here)

On January 5 2013, about 1,300 crew members from the Norwegian Getaway enjoyed a private party, courtesy of Heineken.  Heineken, together with Norwegian and Red Bull, hosted  a party for the onboard bar tenders and hospitality personnel on Norwegian Getaway. The purpose of the event was to help educate the party-goers about the Heineken experience.  On tap was the new STR UV glow in the dark bottle, which is the latest innovation from Heineken.

Crystal Offering Free WiFi

Crystal Cruises announces the newest perk to its All Inclusive luxury cruise experience: Free Wi-Fi for Crystal Society members, the line’s “club” of repeat guests, beginning Fall 2014. Effective with Crystal Serenity’s September 19 New England/Canada sailing and Crystal Symphony’s October 15 Panama Canal cruise, each Crystal Society guest will receive 60 minutes of complimentary internet access for every day of the cruise.  For example, a 10-day cruise will offer 600 free minutes per person (or 1,200 free minutes per couple), a 12-day cruise offers 720 free minutes per person (or 1,440 free minutes per couple), a 14-day cruise offer 840 free minutes (or 1,680 free minutes per couple), etc., which can be used any time throughout the voyage. Society members can use the new complimentary access time wirelessly via iPad, iPhone, laptop or other wireless device or on Crystal’s own Computer University@Sea 27” dual-compatible iMac computers.