Travel Sellers News

Paul Gauguin Cruises, operator of the luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific, announced that the company has been acquired by Pacific Beachcomber. Paul Gauguin Cruises operates the luxury cruise ship MS Paul Gauguin, featuring itineraries among the islands of Tahiti, French Polynesia and the South Pacific. "The acquisition of Paul Gauguin Cruises by Pacific Beachcomber is a most positive development for our company, our Travel Agent partners and valued guests, and for the tourism industry of French Polynesia," said David A. Giersdorf, President and CEO of Paul Gauguin Cruises. "The MS Paul Gauguin is a very successful ship, sailing at full occupancy the past three years, and with only 5 percent of capacity remaining in 2009.

The sun shined over a crowd of more than 1,500 travel agents, local officials and maiden voyage guests during the naming ceremony of Holland America Line's ms Westerdam in Venice, Italy on April 25. The 1,848-passenger Westerdam embarked its maiden voyage guests and sailed its inaugural 12-day cruise from Venice to Greece, Turkey and Croatia. The naming ceremony took place on the "Festa del Boccolo," or St. Mark's Day, the holiday celebrating the patron saint of Venice. As is tradition on this day…