Carnival Cruise Lines will introduce the first year-round cruise schedule from Charleston, S.C., with the deployment of the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy in May. Carnival Fantasy will operate five-, six- and seven-day voyages to the Bahamas and Key West from the Passenger Terminal in historic downtown Charleston beginning May 18.

Crystal Cruises unveiled a complete revamping of its 2010 pricing and promotions, as well as extended value added features.

The countdown continues as MSC Cruises prepares for an exciting 2009-10 Caribbean season that includes the much-anticipated arrival of MSC Poesia in North American waters, a wide variety of special theme cruises and interesting itineraries.

Fred Olsen Cruises is offering special pricing on a 13-night cruise that departs Manhattan on Oct. 23 and cruises to the Canadian Maritimes, across the Atlantic and Ireland before ending in Dover.

In 2010, Uniworld is offering three Egypt river cruises and tours, including the new “Classic Egypt & the Nile,” a nine-day trip with four nights cruising on the new all-suite River Tosca and three nights in a Cairo hotel.

Carnival Cruise Lines officially took delivery of its newest and largest ship, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, during a traditional maritime handover ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, on Sept. 18.