In September the Disney Magic will enter dry dock where she will undergo a much-needed transformation to try and bring her in line with some of the company’s newer ships in the fleet. We’ve already looked at several areas being revitalised, and now we turn our attention to its staterooms.

Disney Cruise Line has brought us a selection of videos to show us just what we can look forward to onboard, and the latest reviews the Disney Magic staterooms, which as you will see above will go through an amazing transformation.

Disney Cruise Line is known for catering more towards families, and these stateroom enhancements will not only surprise, but also delight their guests. They already made they staterooms more family friendly, such as two shower rooms, so they needed to just make them fresher.

All linens will be enhanced, so now you will be able to enjoy 100 per cent Egyptian Cotton, there is to be new mattresses, improved storage beneath the beds, the color and texture is to also be improved to give it a brighter look and a better function.

44 new connecting doors will be added, so ideal for extended families. Larger rooms will have an Art Deco feel to it, with a mix of wood and other materials, such as the carpets, wall covering and more.

It’s certainly nice to see the Disney Magic being refurbished, because although she is the oldest ship in the fleet, she is one of the most loved. Many people who have cruised on her seem to rebook, and now with this refit it will make them rebook even more just to check out all the new features of this beloved ship.

As you may well know the Norwegian Breakaway is the newest cruise ship in the NCL fleet, and as you know has been getting positive reviews. It seems there’s a lot of love for this new ship, so much so that an 11-year-old boy has decided to celebrate its launch by creating his own version.

This young boy has envisaged a new smaller Norwegian Breakaway, by creating a replica made from recycled cardboard and putting it together with duct tape. You’ll see in the image that the young lad has even created lifeboats, which have been made from paper towel rolls.

He even created drawings of the ship, all of which took him several weeks to create from start to finish. Norwegian Cruise Lines has said on their Facebook page how impressed they are with this model, and as such will want to make the young boy and his parent’s cruise an extra special one, as they are booked to go on the Norwegian Breakaway.

We have no idea how they plan to make it an extra special cruise, as these could be just words, one that they would say to any of their passengers. It comes as no surprise to us that friends of the NCL Facebook page has been making their own suggestions as to how they can make this a memorable cruise for the child and his family.

Some believe the kid and his family should receive a complimentary cruise, while others believe they should be upgraded to a Penthouse Suite as well as having his work of art on display on the ship, and then be auctioned off and the proceeds go towards the kids college fund.

How should NCL show their appreciation?

The Costa Concordia captain learned yesterday that he is to stand trial for manslaughter, as well as several other charges because of the incident that took place on that ill-fated night of January 13, 2012 at about 9:45 pm in Tuscany. The trial date is set for July 9, where he will answer to charges for causing his ship to run aground, which as we know had fatal consequences.

32 people died on the ship; with several others injured, and to add salt to the injury he then abandoned his vessel, while a huge percentage of the passengers and crew were still onboard. We’ve even heard a recording where he was ordered to get back on the Costa Concordia, but he did not take that advice.

While Francesco Schettino is being blamed for the accident, and seems to be the only one in the limelight, the New York Times reports that the “Justice for the Concordia” believe Costa Cruises also has to take some of that blame, as they were slow to react to the ship veering off course and getting rather close to land.

As you would imagine, Schettino is not taking this lying down and claims that he was ordered to get close to the island where the Concordia ran aground. However, the cruise company agreed to pay $1.28 million for administrative offenses, but that will not bring back the lives of those lost.

Those who did survive and were injured have received compensation from the cruise line, along with some of the families who had lost loved ones on that terrible night.

The island of Giglio where the incident took place is also seeking damages of €80, as many islanders have been affected by the wreck, which is still there.

Brilliance of the Seas is now 11 years old, and is not considered old, but it’s not that young either, especially when you look at some of the newer, larger ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. In it’s time it has been refurbished, but this latest Brilliance of the Seas refurbishment was long overdue, as some of the new features have been needed for a while now.

The main areas that needed to be revitalised was in the speciality restaurants, as RCI understand that this is where they can make a good profit, because even though the choice of food in with your cruise price is good, it’s also nice to have something a little special from time to time – as long as they don’t overcharge like Ocean Blue onboard the Norwegian Breakaway.

One of the more interesting new Brilliance of the Seas eateries is the Japanese restaurant Izumi, as it allows you to get more involved with the food that you eat, as you can sear the meat on hot rocks. However, there will be some people who believe that you pay the extra to relax, not to help prepare your own food. However, not all passengers will share this view, as other visitors to the restaurant will enjoy becoming more involved and will make it a far more fun experience.

As expected WiFi is now available throughout the ship, which will come in handy for those who need to stay in contact with work or find it important to check their Facebook or Twitter accounts. This was a pretty decent refit, one that cost RCI $30 million.

More details on this refit are available here, and while we have provided a few images for you, you can see more Brilliance of the Seas refit pictures on the Royal Caribbean Facebook page.

Serving military personnel do a wonderful job in protecting their country, but at a price, as they not only put their lives at risk when they are on tour, but also have to stay away from their loved ones for many months at a time. When they are back home it’s a special moment for them, their family and friends.

MSC Cruises understands this and want to make it all the more special, which is why they currently have their MSC Cruises Military Rate promotion for those serving in the military in the USA and Canada. As a thank you to those brave men and women they will be given up to 10 percent discount on all cruises.

It gets even better than that, as this special MSC Cruises discount also applies for those who have retired from active service, along with their spouses, children, parents, and even their parent-in-laws and dependent children. The special discount applies to all the military forces, so the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, Army Reserve, National Guard, and even Department of Defense personnel.

As you would imagine you will need to prove that you are or have been an active member of the US or Canadian military, and so will need your I.D. badge to confirm this. You cannot book online to take advantage of this discount; instead you will need to call MSC Cruises on 1-877-665-4655. Remember, you will need to ask the sales representative at the time of booking that you would like the Military Rate promotion.

The Best Cruise Lines awards is something that companies such as Cunard, NCL, RCI, P&O and others take very seriously, as it shows they are doing a good job at keeping their customers happy. There are so many of these awards, with some more prestigious than others, and the Daily Telegraph Ultra Travel Awards is just one of them.

The Best Cruise Line winner this year is Cunard, and what makes this win so special is that they have won this 7 years in a row now, which shows they are doing something right. You can see in the image above just how happy the Cunard team who collected the award are.

Cunard has said that this award is very special to them for several reasons, the first is because it recognises the hard work that their staff across the fleet put in. Secondly, it is because this award was voted for by Daily Telegraph readers who have cruised with them.

The luxury cruise liner company has said that winning this ward will give them greater confidence for the future, and will ensure they do all they can to keep winning such prestigious awards, as it proves they are doing right by their passengers.

It’s clear to see once you have cruised with Cunard you will see it is a far different experience to that of other cruise lines, but Cunard is for a different kind of passenger. If you wish to feel special and enjoy a cruise full of elegance, then a Cunard cruise is for you. However, if you are looking for a fun-filled time for you and your children, then you may wish to consider one of the other companies.

Thanks to Cunard.

It wasn’t that long ago when there were reports that the cover charge for Geoffrey Zakarian’s Ocean Blue restaurant onboard Norwegian Breakaway was said to have been under priced, and as such would need to be reevaluated. Well it has and we are sad to say that the price has now been increased.

This Norwegian Breakaway price increase in the Ocean Blue eatery is a blow for passengers who thought they were getting a great deal, but it just shows that you can’t have too much of a good thing. The new price will now be $49, instead of $35.

What about those already booked for a meal at Ocean Blue? We’re told that those who already have a reservations at Ocean Blue at the cheaper price of $35 will still be honored, the increase only applies to new bookings, which we’re certain will not go down well with passengers.

Cruise Critic readers have been expressing their dissatisfaction with the price increase, with some of them saying it is a rip off, to others suggesting that the restaurant will now be empty, although not sure this will be the case. Having said that, how can a huge company like Norwegian Cruise Line get their pricing so wrong?

$35 isn’t too bad to eat in a specialty restaurant, but $49 is bordering on an excessive amount. Okay, so it’s nice to eat in one of these specialty restaurants at least once while on a cruise, but the food that you have already paid for is still of a high standard, so we can see more people sticking with the main restaurants onbaord Norwegian Breakaway.

Princess Cruises Royal Princess is set for her inaugural cruise on June 16, 2013, which means the one-month countdown has already begun. There’s still a chance to get a last-minute cruise onboard Royal Princess, and from what we have seen it’s something you will not want to miss out on.

She will start her season in Europe, with the very first Royal Princess cruise set for on June 16 and heading off to warmer waters. If you have already booked and just need to refresh yourself on the main features of this new vessel, then you can do so below.

She weighs in at 141,000-tons, which is the biggest in the Princess Cruises fleet, although another is already in construction. The Duchess of Cambridge will name her, and once onboard you will get a true sense of her size, as she is 20 percent larger than other ships in the fleet.

There is a selection of fresh new touches to the Royal Princess, such as the SeaWalk, and her beautiful Atrium. However, what appeals to us is the 24-hour pastry shop.

A number of changes have been made to the cabins when compared to her sister ships, such as 80 percent of them being balconies and inside cabins being made a little larger to make your stay more comfortable.

For a better insight into what to expect onboard the Royal Princess then might we suggest watching the video above?

On the very first day of boarding a cruise ship you find yourself running about like a headless chicken, as you never know what you want to look at first, although the food area is always the first stop. However, once you have been allowed in your rooms and then unpack your cases, where do you go next?

For us we would have to say the spa, as there’s nothing better than having a lovely cruise and being able to have a massage or some other treatment while there. For those who share this thought, then you’ll be pleased to know that Celebrity Cruises often runs spa offers, just like this latest one.

When you pre-book one of the Celebrity Signature Spa Treatments you will then receive 40 percent off your next treatment. Okay, so this is not the perfect offer if you only had one treatment in mind, but getting 40 percent off your second one could persuade you to change your mind.

We’ve enjoyed plenty of treatments like this on many cruise ships, but we have to say that Celebrity is one of the best, not only for their team at their spas, but also the whole experience while you’re having your treatment.

Some of the top treatments include Elemis Aroma Spa Seaweed Massage, Fire and Ice Manicure and Elemis Oxydermy Facial. However, if we had to choose our favorite, it would have to be the Hot Stone Massage, but what’s yours?

Visit Celebrity Cruises for more details.

Serenity is a place like you see on two P&O ships; where this is an adults only area, although Carnival Cruises takes this experience to a whole new level. There are several ships in the fleet with this area where no children are allowed, with the Carnival Sunshine offering the best yet.

However, we already know that this area has been hit with a few problems on its inaugural cruise, but small issues like waterfalls not working and other minor problems are to be expected, and have no doubt been resolved by now.

Let’s hope that have because the Carnival Sunshine Serenity advantages for adults will be truly amazing, and we hope to experience them one day. We’re not against children on a cruise ship, as it’s so nice to see them having fun, and makes you feel happy when you see a child smile, but there are times when it all gets a bit too much, and so you look for a place other than your stateroom where you can relax without the fear of being disturbed by an over-excited kid.

The Carnival Sunshine Serenity area is open for adults over 21, even better as we know how childish some 18 year olds can be. There is a complete bar service and they have sun loungers where you can fall back in and get lost in the moment, yes they are that comfortable. Soft music plays in the background and there are even extra large umbrellas if the heat gets too much for you.

If there was ever an area on the Carnival Sunshine where you needed to ease away your tension, then the spa would be first choice, with Serenity a very close second.