Kate Plus 8 Cruise Deep-Sixed

We were never huge fans of Jon and Kate + 8, and even less excited about Kate Plus 8, so we weren't too shocked when a Kate Gosselin-themed cruise was cancelled for lack of interest. How about you?

Kate was reported to have been the attraction to inspire people to fork over up to $3175 per person for a 7-night Royal Caribbean cruise, which apparently didn't work out. All cruise passengers who already booked have been refunded in order to spend their money on something more worthwhile.

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Oceania scores celebrity chefs for culinary sailings

Chef Ken Oringer of Clio

Does the term "molecular gastronomy" mean anything to you? If so, you might be a serious foodie, like us. And in that case, you may be interested in the chance to set sail on Oceania Cruises with molecular maestro Ken Oringer from Clio in Boston. We've eaten at Clio a few times, and Ken's uses molecular gastronomy the way it should be used: to deliver unusual experiences with your food that accentuate it. Another star, Stephen Lewandowski of New York’s Tribeca Grill, will host a different sailing

Chef Oringer will be aboard Marina’s Oct. 22 Athens to Istanbul sailing; Lewandowski is scheduled for Riviera’s Oct. 14 Athens to Rome voyage. Both are 10-day cruises. Both cruises are part of Oceania's yummy Bon Appétit Wine & Food Festival program.

Lewandowski, executive chef of Drew Nieporent’s Tribeca Grill in downtown Manhattan, polished his craft at Gotham Bar & Grill and then with Ritz-Carlton for several years. His Tribeca Grill style is described as ‘earthy, elegant contemporary American cuisine.’ James Beard Award winner Oringer has worked in some of the finest US kitchens, including alongside accomplished chefs such as Jean-George Vongerichten and David Burke. Oringer’s six restaurants in Boston and one in Maine each showcase inventive cuisine that reflects his international adventures.

The two chefs will host several cooking demonstrations and will serve as guest instructors at the Bon Appétit Culinary Center and lead Culinary Discovery Tours to local markets in select ports.

Call and ask about SureCruise's special group rates on these sailings which offer the best prices and bonus amenities.

Read even more at USA Today

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Cruise News is back!

Stay tuned! We're happy, after a long hiatus with no reasonable excuse, to be spinning up the SureCruise cruise news blog again. You'll be hearing several different voices, as a bunch of us here at SureCruise lend our perspective to the day's interesting cruise-related news. We'll also be playing fast-and-loose with "news," from the truly newsworthy, to stories that just make us laugh. Sorry for the absence and we hope you enjoy the return!

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New Orleans cruising is back

Royal Caribbean just announced they'll launch wintertime Western Caribbean cruises aboard Voyager of the Seas from New Orleans starting in November 2011. With over 3,000 passengers, she's the largest vessel ever to sail out of New Orleans, and by joining Carnival Triumph and Norwegian Spirit there, we can now say that the city's cruise industry has really recovered from 2005's disastrous Hurricane Katrina.

New Orleans is a terrific city for a cruise vacation, with so much fun to be had: just add a few nights before or after your cruise. The legendary Bourbon Street will keep you entertained all night, and with fine dining options galore, it's Cajun decadence at its finest.

Voyager was the largest ship afloat when she was introduced in 1999 and wowed the industry with still-popular features like rock climbing, ice skating, mini golf, inline skating, and the indoor Royal Promenade.

More info from WWL.

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Celebrity Eclipse gets back to England after volcano rescue mission

Celebrity's spanking-new Solstice-class vessel Eclipse enjoyed her delayed naming ceremony... once back at her homeport of Southampton, England, from Bilbao, Spain, after recovering 2,000 British tourists who had been stranded thanks to Iceland's very rude volcano.

"We're proud of our tradition of planning and implementing meaningful and memorable ship launches, but the launch of Celebrity Eclipse is particularly unique,” said Celebrity’s President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. “The atmosphere has been fantastic among the guests and our crew. Everyone feels they are part of something truly special."

The naming ceremonies on April 24 in Southampton featured Godmother Emma Pontin, ocean-racing yachtswoman and breast cancer survivor.

The ship had been previously scheduled to host VIPs and industry guests on a short introductory cruise, but parent company Royal Caribbean International generously canceled those plans and made the vessel available for the rescue project instead.

More details at BBC.

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First female captain named for a British cruise ship

Sarah Breton, 45, has been named by P&O Cruises to be the first female captain of a cruise ship in Britain. In command of the 1,200-passenger Artemis, Captain Breton told The Telegraph, “Growing up near the water I always loved boats and the ocean, so it really does fulfill a lifelong ambition of mine to be a Captain with P&O Cruises. It is made even more special to be Captain of the first cruise ship I ever served on, after joining P&O Cruises as third officer back in 1989.”

Her promotion puts her at the pinnacle of her profession after having worked her way up the ranks onboard many other P&O/Princess ships.

But Captain Breton isn't the first female cruise ship captain. The honor of being the first was bestowed on Royal Caribbean's Karin Stahre-Janson, promoted to Master of Monarch of the Seas in 2007.

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"Gin and Titonic" ice cubes for your next party

We tend to find offensive things funny, and being in the cruise business we can't resist the opportunity to call your attention to an ice-cube tray that creates a sinking Titanic along with several icebergs. Gin and Titonic: the perfect way to keep your drink chilled, and conveniently available to be ordered from Amazon.com.

When this fine product was introduced, unsurprisingly there were some who found it offensive, making it that much more appealing, don't you think?

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Sixty injured when Carnival Ecstasy tips dodging submerged buoy

Carnival Ecstasy tipped by 12 degrees on Wednesday afternoon during evasive action to avoid a large, drifting, submerged buoy while on the way back to Galveston, causing 60 minor injuries. The buoy--being mostly or entirely under water--didn't show up on the ship's radar, forcing the sudden turn.

The 2,000-or-so passenger ship returned a bit late to end its 5-day Galveston cruise today, with everybody safe and sound. Our kudos to the bridge officers for seeing and avoiding the buoy!

More details at Houston's KHOU.

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