Cruise News Round-Up - P&O, Crystal & Paul Gauguin

Yikes, but it's a busy week for cruise news! The stories and press releases have been pouring in thick and fast - so fast, in fact, we have had to turn to a round-up story today to include as many as possible.

So, with no further ado, here is the hot-off-the-press latest...

P&O Cruises has added departures from seven regional airports on selected Fly-Med cruises on Ventura for this summer. The direct regional charter flights will be available, at no extra cost, on 16 Fly-Med cruises across seven regional airports, namely Bournemouth, Belfast, Cardiff, East Midlands, Glasgow, Newcastle and Stansted. Flights are also available from London, Manchester or Birmingham as standard.

A variety of seven and 14-night fly-cruise holidays are available from March to October as Ventura sails from either Venice or Genoa, round the Greek Islands, Dalmatian coast, French Riviera and iconic cities like Rome, Venice, Naples, Dubrovnik and Florence. Book by February 28 to receive additional free on board spending money to use for drinks, shore excursions, spa treatments or fine dining.

More info: visit www.pocruises.co.uk or call 0843 373 0111.

Crystal Cruises has announced the latest perk to its All Inclusive luxury cruise experience: free Wi-Fi for Crystal Society members, the line’s “club” of repeat guests, starting this autumn. 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.

Crystal 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. A multi-million dollar Wi-Fi upgrade rolled out in recent months will help guests enjoy maximum onboard connectivity.

More info: call 020 7399 7601 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

Paul Gauguin Cruises is introducing two exciting new itineraries this summer that take in the amazing destination of Papua New Guinea. The 11-night Fiji to Australia voyage departing June 14 is a unique voyage that charts a course to popular and undiscovered ports from exotic Fiji to the Great Barrier Reef, while the 12-night Australia to Fiji voyage departing August 18 is the same as the above but in reverse.

Islands visited include Vanuatu, Guadalcanal, whose very name is synonymous with a turning point of World War II, and by Papua New Guinea itself, the second-largest island in the world. Prices start from £4,290 per person for 11 nights accommodation in an ocean view stateroom with all meals, soft drinks, selected alcoholic beverages and gratuities. Also included is airfare from Los Angeles.

 

More info: call  020 7399 7691 or visit www.pgcruises.com.

The new edition of World of Cruising is now out, and you can see the digital version online on our home page at www.worldofcruising.co.uk. To subscribe at our special offer rate of 50% off for 2014, see this link.

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Regent's Wi-Fi Bonus

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced an expansion to its fabulous all-inclusive product by offering free Wi-Fi across its fleet. Beginning with the line’s Winter 2014-2015 sailings, concierge-level and higher guests will receive up to 500 minutes of free Wi-Fi.

Regent will also make a multi-million dollar investment to upgrade its fleet’s onboard Internet offering. This will include:
 

• Doubling the satellite bandwidth to provide considerable improvements in both the quality and speed of the guest’s online experience.
• Expanding the Wi-Fi signal’s range, making Wi-Fi available throughout the entirety of the ships including all suites, public rooms and outdoor decks.
• Replacing all onboard hardware such as the modems, routers and bandwidth compression equipment with advanced technology.

These upgrades will be completed by the end of this year, significantly enhancing the Internet experience for all guests.

According to Regent president Kunal S. Kamlani,  the addition of free Wi-Fi is a natural evolution of the brand’s all-inclusive product offering, which is unmatched in the travel industry. He said: “It’s all included on Regent, from flights, ground transfers and unlimited shore excursions to gourmet cuisine, premium spirits and fine wines, and gratuities. 

"Coupled with our hallmark personalised service and spacious all-suite accommodations, we provide a luxury cruise experience like no other for those who want to explore the world without compromise. And we know staying in touch with family and friends is of paramount importance. Our fleet-wide Internet upgrade will ensure our guests have an exceptional experience whenever or wherever they connect on board.”

Details on the free Wi-Fi programme can be found here. Details of the 2014-2015 Winter Collection will be announced on October 9.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury cruising specialists.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.