Speciality Dining with Celebrity

Celebrity Cruises plans to add speciality dining venue Qsine to Celebrity Infinity. Launched onboard Celebrity Eclipse (above) last year, Qsine is the first restaurant at sea to offer guests a menu and wine list on an iPad.

Infinity will actually emerge from drydock on December 3 with two new restaurants, as Qsine replaces the former Conservatory and Flower Shop and Blu, the Mediterranean-themed speciality restaurant, is added on deck 5.

Along with the addition of Qsine, the following features will be found onboard Celebrity Cruises Infinity

• AquaClass accommodations – marking a Millennium-Class ‘first’ – allowing guests on Infinity to experience the brand’s popular spa-inspired accommodations and amenities
• Mediterranean-themed specialty restaurant, “Blu,” offered exclusively for AquaClass guests
• The Celebrity iLounge, which debuted on Eclipse and made Celebrity Cruises the industry’s first Authorised Apple Reseller
• New verandas added to the ship’s spacious Celebrity Suites
• Additional new oceanview and inside staterooms
• More suites, with all new furniture, flat-screen TVs, bedding and carpeting
• Restyled staterooms, with entirely new carpeting, flat-screen TVs and bedding
• Expanded collection of original, contemporary art
• New ice-topped Martini Bar and Crush
• Vibrant creperie, Bistro on Five
• Café al Bacio and Gelateria
• Cellarmasters wine bar, complete with the “Enomatic” state-of-the-art wine serving system – an industry-first when it debuted on Celebrity Solstice – allowing guests to select wines by the glass, at the touch of a button.

The company currently plans to similarly refurbish Celebrity Summit in January 2012, followed by Millennium in April 2012. The already-revitalised Constellation will be further refitted with the additional offerings in April 2013.

For more information, see www.celebritycruises.co.uk, or contact the UK's specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Now It's Epic Fun For Kids!

NCL's big advance roll-out of information (and excitement) for the arrival of their Norwegian Epic this summer continued this week with two big 'announcements,' one of which is sure to go down a storm with younger cruisers.

While all the previous info updates on Epic have concentrated on the 'grown-up' aspects of the 150,000-ton ship (the Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams dinner show, Legends in Concert, Howl at the Moon Saloon, etc), this one was purely for the kids (and lovers of all things slimey!).

Nickelodeon have been signed up to provide a signature family programme on NCL's latest and greatest (as well as on Norwegian Jewel out of New York this summer), which means the likes of Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer will be the focal points of the various kids clubs.

The Nick TV entertainment company also have programmes geared for pre-schoolers and teenagers, so no-one should be left out, and the whole family will be able to join in some of the events (like game shows and other presentations that will use the ship's bigger theatre areas), which are guaranteed to come with plenty of signature slime.

There will even be character breakfasts with the Nickelodeon characters (albeit with a separate charge), plus storytime sessions and shows like Slime Time Live (yes, really!).

The innovative move from the innovative line is another shot in the arm (and clever advance marketing) for the year's most groundbreaking newcomer, and it serves to underline the clever, out-of-the-box thinking that is going into every facet of Epic's onboard line-up.

NCL's other announcement also highlights this latter. As well as some new, non-linear designs with their standard cabins, Epic will boast the cruise industry's first purpose-built, new-look cabins for solo travellers. Although fairly small at just 100sq ft (and NCL are right up front about the size), these 128 studio-type rooms will have room for just a bed, separate WC and shower unit and a vanity desk (plus drawer space). They will all be inside (with a view over an internal corridor) and come at a set rate $799/person (i.e with NO single supplement).

There will also be a special communal studio lounge for all guests in these cabins.

Once again, it marks NCL out as a fresh-thinking, go-ahead alternative in the big-ship business, and it continues to enhance the build-up to the biggest ship they have ever built. Roll on June.....!

Truly Epic Entertainment!

NCL held their second 'webinar' last Friday (a live seminar on the web) to hail all the new entertainment elements on board their forthcoming Norwegian Epic. And a truly 'epic' array of talent and excitement it turned out to be.

We already know about the six lanes of 10-pin bowling (split into two different venues), the unique offering from the award-winning Blue Man Group that will be one of the feature shows, the Headliners comedy club featuring the Second City company (from Chicago), Fat Cats jazz and blues club and the visionary Cirque Dreams dinner show.

But the latest instalment of 'news' and revelations gave us even more. And it left me thinking that this has to be the most imaginative line-up of entertainment options and original ideas anywhere at sea.

In addition to all the above, the Epic will also boast the Howl at the Moon dueling pianos rock 'n roll show, and the Legends in Concert music tribute show (with performers still to be decided). The former is a fun, lively and interactive (think raucous sing-along!) music show in a club-style setting, with two baby grand pianos providing a continuous parade of rock tunes from the 1970s, 80s and 90s. There are 14 Howl at the Moon saloon locations throughout the US and they are a tried & trusted formula dating back to 1990.

Legends in Concert is a Vegas-style music tribute act that has 7 locations in America (including Atlantic City, Vegas and Seattle) and bills itself as "the world's greatest live tribute show." Their performers mimic the acts of the likes of Tina Turner, Elvis, the Blues Brothers, Cher and Madonna, and the Epic will feature three different acts that change periodically.

The 'webinar' provided quite a bit of detail (and fun - you can listen to it on the Epic website), but a press release today also adds some more detail:

FAMOUS FACES AND ROCK ’N’ ROLL DUELLING PIANOS JOIN NORWEGIAN EPIC
- Legends in Concert and Howl at the Moon Announced -

Live tribute artists and celebrity look-alikes such as The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Madonna, and Tom Jones will feature on NCL’s newest ship, Norwegian Epic, launching in June 2010.

Legends in Concert is known as the world’s greatest live tribute show and has been a staple on Las Vegas ’ centre strip for 25 years, being seen by audiences worldwide.

Norwegian Epic also welcomes Howl at the Moon - the world’s greatest rock ‘n roll dueling piano show that encourages audience participation.

“Norwegian Epic has already made headlines with its world-class entertainment offerings, such as Blue Man Group and Cirque Dreams™ and Dinner. Now, with the addition of Legends in Concert and Howl at the Moon, we have raised the bar even higher, taking cruise ship entertainment to a whole new level, on par with major entertainment hubs like Las Vegas and New York,” said Kevin Sheehan, NCL’s chief executive officer.

Sheehan adds, “With their wide range of incredibly talented superstar tribute artists and celebrated entertainers, Legends in Concert will appeal to music fans of all ages, making this a must-see show for our guests. Howl at the Moon gives guests the chance to sing along to music from the ‘70s to today in a highly interactive show.”

Legends In Concert

Legends in Concert on Norwegian Epic will feature three celebrity tribute performers taking the stage in the Epic Theatre for six 45-minute shows over three days during a seven-day cruise. In addition, a cabaret-style show will be performed on three additional nights in the Manhattan Room, the ship’s New York-inspired supper club. The celebrity performers, some of whom come from the UK , will change every four months, keeping the show fresh.

Each Legends in Concert performer looks and sounds like the star they portray. They use their own natural voices, and every detail is taken into consideration from choreography, to hair, make-up and mannerisms.

Howl at the Moon

Performing four times per cruise in Headliners, Epic’s comedy club, Howl at the Moon is a total entertainment experience where the talented piano players not only entertain the guests; the guests become part of the show. The fun is centred around two baby grand pianos and a full out rock show with Howl’s entertainers playing the best music from 70’s rock to hip-hop for four hours per show.

Norwegian Epic arrives in the UK on 22 June, 2010, for a two-night invitation-only inaugural cruise from Southampton . The ship will then cross to the USA where she will sail alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami from July 2010.

The most amazing thing, though? All of this dazzling entertainment line-up (with the exception of the Cirque Dreams dinner show, for which there will be a $15/person surcharge) is absolutely FREE.

So take some time to check out the links and view their webcast. Then get ready to book for an Epic experience in 2010! I know I'm ready .......!