Introducing Carnival Playtime on Select Sailings, Sushi Added to 4 More Ships

Introducing 'Carnival Playtime' Featuring My Little Pony and Transformers

Carnival Playtime will be available on every three- and four-night sailing on the "Carnival Imagination" departing Long Beach from July 13 through September 17. 

Your kids will have a blast with fun activities and games inspired by the My Little Pony and Transformers TV and movie series, such as games like Rainbow Dash's cupcake toss, Knock out the Autobots and Target the Enemy, along with face-painting, prizes, music a movie screening, and more! 

They will also have the opportunity to meet some of their favorite My Little Pony and Transformers characters and take pictures with them! 

Click here for more information.

Sushi Lovers Rejoice! Sushi Pop-Up Venue Added to Four Ships

Bonsai Sushi has been such a popular venue on Carnival ships that they have decided to roll-out a pop-up style sushi venue on the Carnival Conquest, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty and Carnival Glory.

These stand-alone eateries are conveniently located on the Lido Deck of these four ships and offer a variety of fresh sushi, sashimi and rolls on an a la carte basis with prices ranging from $1.50 to $7.50.

Important Information about Cuba Travel with NCL

If you are booked, or are looking to book, a cruise to Cuba with NCL...  here is some helpful information!

You can travel to Cuba under the people-to-people authorized travel category under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).  

To do so, you must maintain a full-time schedule of educational exchange activities intended to enhance contact with the Cuban people.

You are required to self certify that your activities meet these requirements and also retain records of your activities for a period of 5 years. You must complete and send Norwegian your certification form within 30 days before your departure date. 

Norwegian gives you the option of fulfilling your OFAC requirements through their diverse selection of 

Havana shore excursions. 

Tours must be booked no later than 3 days prior to sailing. Tour availability is not guaranteed on board. 

Benefits to pre-booking Havana excursions through Norwegian:

All tours are OFAC compliant

Priority disembarkation in Havana

Space confirmed prior to sailing

Learn more about their available Havana shore excursions. And for more information about your upcoming visit to Cuba, check out their FAQs. 

Symphony of the Seas - Fun Facts and Pics of the World's Largest Ship

The next Royal Caribbean ship will be a game changer!  The Symphony of the Seas is set to debut in Europe spring 2018 before moving to Miami in the fall.

The Symphony will become the world's largest cruise ship, spanning 16 guest decks and encompassing approximately 230,000 gross registered tons.

Here are some fun facts about the new ship and lots of photos:

The ship can hold up to 6780 guests

There will be 2175 cruise members onboard

215.5 feet wide, and 1,188 feet long

18 total decks with 24 guest elevators

4 bow thrusters, with 7,500 horsepower each

2,775 staterooms

The Ultimate Abyss: A 10 story slide

The Perfect Storm: Trio of water slides

Splashaway Bay: Kids water park

Seven distinct neighborhoods: 

Central Park, Boardwalk, Royal Promenade, Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place, and the Youth Zone

Dining options:

Complimentary: Main Dining Room, Mini Bites, Sorrento's, Boardwalk Dog House, Windjammer Marketplace, Park Cafe

Specialty restaurants: Sabor Taqueria & Tequila Bar, Izumi Japanese Cuisine, Johnny Rockets, Jamie's Italian Coastal Kitchen, Chops Grille, Cafe Promenade, Vitality Cafe, and Solarium Bistro

And we can't forget about the Aqua Theater, Rock Climbing Walls, FlowerRider surf simulator, AND they will have the fastest internet at sea with Voom!

Check out the pics!

Shrimp with Pan-Fried Noodles

Celebrity chef Martin Yan is the host of the award-winning television program Yan Can Cook, author of a dozen cookbooks and an acclaimed restaurateur. 

And, he has exclusively designed the onboard Chinese menus featured on Viking River Cruises China ships. 

He says that the key to preparing the perfect crispy noodle pancake is the swirling of the noodle in the pan, which keeps the noodles from sticking. They are a great accompaniment to a variety of stir-fry dishes such as black pepper beef, chicken and a variety of sautéed vegetables.

Ingredients

Noodle Pancakes:

• 16 oz fresh Chinese egg noodles
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 T vegetable oil

Sauce:

• 1/2 C ketchup
• 1/2 C water
• 2 T sweet chili sauce
• 1 1/2 T curry powder

Shrimp:

• 1 T cooking oil
• 1 T lemongrass, minced
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 2 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 green & red bell peppers, cut into small chunks
• 1 lb med raw shrimp, shelled & deveined
• 1 T sesame oil

Directions

Noodle Pancakes:

Place noodles in a pot of boiling water and cool. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with sesame oil. Set aside. Heat a wide nonstick frying pan over medium heat and swirl 1 T of vegetable oil around to coat. Spread half of noodles evenly in pan. Cook about 5 minutes on each side, until noodles are golden brown. Swirl pan a few times to prevent noodles from sticking. Keep warm in a 200°F (93°C) oven and repeat with remaining noodles. Makes 2 noodle pancakes.

Sauce:

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

Shrimp:

Heat a large stir-fry pan over high heat; swirl vegetable oil around to coat. Add lemongrass, garlic and ginger stirring 15 seconds until fragrant. Add bell peppers and green onions; stir fry for 1 minute. Add shrimp and stir fry for about 2 minutes, until they begin to curl and turn pink. Add sauce and cook until it boils and thickens slightly. Add sesame oil and toss to coat. Serve over the pan-fried noodles.

• Cook time: 8 minutes
• Makes 4 servings.

American "Constellation" Heads to West Coast

American Constellation

Heads to the West Coast

The brand new American Constellation is moving to the west coast in 2018. With a passenger capacity of only 175 guests, this ship can visit charming towns not accessible to larger vessels, and offers a comfortable and elegant way to explore the picturesque wilderness of Puget Sound and Alaska. 

Plus, American Constellation features modern décor and amenities, the largest staterooms in the industry, and private balconies in every room. 

Reservations for 2018 departures on board the American Constellation are now being accepted, 

but space is limited!