Holland America
Holland America's new 1,918-passenger ms Noordam debuted in February and has been slotted to sail on 10- and 11-day trips between New York and the Caribbean.
The Noordam's eastern Caribbean itinerary includes stops in Grand Turk, Turk and Caicos; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The 11-day southern Caribbean itinerary includes port calls in Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Roseau, Dominica; Bridgetown, Barbados; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises, another Italian cruise line, will operate its MSC Opera and MSC Lirica during the 2006-07 season, including stops at its private Cayo Levantado in the Dominican Republic.
The schedule for the Lirica includes an October transatlantic crossing from Genoa to Ft. Lauderdale that features stops in Barbados, Martinique, and San Juan. The Lirica will sail 11-night eastern Caribbean cruises with stops in San Juan, St. Maarten, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Tortola, and Cayo Levantado; 11-night Panama Canal and Panama Holiday cruises; and an 11-night New Year's Cruise.
The Opera also will make Caribbean stops on its December repositioning cruise from Genoa to Ft. Lauderdale, then operate 7-night holiday cruises at Christmas and New Year's, followed by eastern Caribbean and Panama Canal itineraries.
Both ships will also make Caribbean stops on their eastbound return to Europe in April and May, 2007.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Lines' newest ship, the Norwegian Jewel, was christened with spring 2006 western and eastern Caribbean itineraries. Eastern stops included San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. John's, Antigua; St. Thomas, USVI and NCL's Private Island, Great Stirrup Cay. Western Caribbean itineraries called at Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman and Roatan, Honduras.
For summer 2006, NCL has brought the Norwegian Spirit to New York for year-round voyages to Bermuda, joining the Norwegian Dawn. The Spirit will sail on 8-day itineraries that will include stops in St. Thomas and Tortola, through September.
Norwegian also announced that it will return to the port of New Orleans in October 2006, with the Norwegian Sun departing for 7-day western Caribbean excursions.
Princess Cruises
The Crown Princess, which makes a splashy debut in New York in June 2006, is already planning return in summer 2007 with 9-night Caribbean trips that include a stop in Bermuda. The Crown Princess also will add a new Eastern Caribbean route from New York.
Ports of call include Bermuda, San Juan, St. Thomas and Grand Turk. Stops for the new itinerary include San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Grand Turk.
Sister ship the Caribbean Princess, meanwhile, will sail on 7-day trips to the western and eastern Caribbean in 2006 and 2007, between May and October. All depart from Ft. Lauderdale.
Regent Seven Seas
Formerly Radisson Seven Seas, Regent's Navigator, Voyager and Mariner sail from Ft. Lauderdale on 7- to 11-night trips in 2006 and 2007.
