El Salvador has been trying to position itself as an attractive destination for cruise tourism and that dream is about to become a reality according to Jose Napoleon Duarte, Minister of Tourism. Duarte said that El Salvador has been in negotiations with Royal Caribbean to include El Salvador in their cruise routes and are in the advanced stages of planning.

Royal Caribbean International is re-launching the cruise line’s art program with the “Art on Royal” program that includes art tours, seminars and auctions. Art on Royal integrates the $120 million onboard collection aboard Royal Caribbean’s 22 ships, which features Royal Caribbean Signature Artists Romero Britto and Thomas Kinkade.

Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 failed a vessel sanitation inspection on June 10 with a score of 84, two points below the level of 86 that is considered satisfactory by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nearly 3,000 cruise passengers visited St. Kitts on Tuesday. The Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s 2,501-passenger Serenade of the Seas berth at Port Zante with 2,483 passengers and a crew of 855. It arrived from St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands and sailed for Aruba late afternoon.

Cunard Line has detailed the far-flung “World Voyages” the Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth will offer in 2013. On Jan. 10, 2013, Queen Victoria and flagship Queen Mary 2 will depart Southampton, England, and together visit a total 55 ports in 28 countries.

Crystal Cruises is offering new “double bonus savings” of up to $4,000 per couple on select Panama Canal and South America cruises from January to April 2012. The offer is good on new bookings made by Aug. 31 on cruises by both Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.