‘QM2’ Suffers Pod Damage—And Disgruntled
Passengers
Queen Mary 2, the world's largest
and most expensive ocean liner currently on a 38-day voyage
from New York/Florida with 2,500 passengers,- was delayed
January 17 after one of its four propulsion motors was found
damaged and subsequently removed. The company said the two-day
delay forced it to modify the Latin American itinerary in
order to arrive on time in Rio on January 26 and further
added that it did not know until after the ship left port
how much speed it would lose and how many ports of call
she would have to skip..
Cunard said it had offered the 1,000
passengers scheduled to disembark in Rio a 50 per cent cruise
–fare refund as compensation for the missed stops on the
cruise’s initial segment from
New York (or Fort Lauderdale) to Rio. Passengers continuing
through the second segment ending in Valparaiso on February
8 or the last segment ending in Los Angeles on February
22 will get a six-day pro-rata refund.
However, some passengers scheduled to
disembark in Rio were still unhappy and threatened to remain
on board when the ship arrived.
Cunard confirms
Queen Mary 2 is making 27 knots on three pods en route to
Rio de Janeiro where she is expected to arrive on Thursday.
Following the Rio call, Cunard
says that the ship should be able to visit all of her originally
published ports of call, but with shortened stays in Montevideo
and in Acapulco.
The cruise line says it will not change
its compensation package.
Norwegian Coastal Voyage Orders New
Build For Delivery In 2007
A new ship, the MS Fram, named
after Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen's polar ship, has
been ordered from Italian ship builder Fincantieri in Trieste,
with an expected delivery date of April, 2007. It will
hold 500 passengers, have conference and meeting facilities
and will be an ice-classified ship to operate in the Arctic
environment. It is expected to sail in Greenland in the
summer season and the traditional Hurtugruten (Coastal Odyssey)
route during the winter. Selected Norwegian and Greenland
artists have been invited to decorate the ship, a tradition
followed in the r
New Features Added To Carnival Cruise
Lines’ Internet Offerings
Carnival Cruise Lines has introduced
a variety of enhancements to its Internet offerings, revamping
its popular www.carnival.com website and launching an
innovative new social networking/group planning tool, www.CarnivalConnections.com –
the first site of its kind in the cruise industry. “The
Internet has become an indispensable tool for vacation research
and planning, used by millions of people each day. The updated
carnival.com site delivers enhanced functionality and more
comprehensive overview of the Fun Ship vacation experience.
CarnivalConnections.com enables guests to build lasting
vacation memories with their family and friends and stay
connected to fellow Fun Ship enthusiasts using an innovative
new social networking/group planning technology,” said Bob
Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO.
A host of new and expanded features have
been incorporated into the revamped carnival.com site, including
an interactive destination map, destination “virtual tours,”
guest video testimonials, and a “close-to-home” cruise locator,
along with a new “look and feel” mirroring the line’s current
advertising campaign. The new destination “virtual tours”
offer viewers an opportunity to get an “up close and personal”
look at the many sites and attractions available at a variety
of Caribbean, Mexican and Bahamian ports. With this helpful
tool, guests can even preview select shore excursions offered
in a specific region.
There’s also a new interactive destination
map where, with just a simple click of a button, visitors
can navigate directly to various sub-regions and further
explore the dozens of different itineraries featured on
Carnival’s three- to 16-day cruises. Also new are video
testimonials from guests who offer their opinions about
their Carnival vacation experience, while a new “close-to-home”
cruising page provides detailed information on the line’s
embarkation ports, including 18 in North America and one
in Italy.
Rounding out the Web site enhancements
are new photographs and content, along with easier-to-view
deck plans of the “Fun Ship” fleet. Future plans include
an enhanced meeting and incentive group planning section.
Using an innovative electronic invitation
tool and insightful guest-written message boards and cruise
reviews, the site provides users with a variety of helpful
resources to select the “Fun Ship” vacation that matches
their interests and lifestyles. The site’s customized “e-vites”
can be tailored for family reunions, “girlfriend getaways,”
and a host of other groups. To use the interactive “e-vite”
tool, the group coordinator simply selects the cruise of
their choice – including ship name, departure point, cruise
duration and itinerary – and then forwards the information
via e-mail to friends and family members.
Recipients can then respond with an RSVP or provide feedback
on the cruise through private message boards. Members of
the group can even “vote” or answer poll questions on the
different aspects of the voyage.
The site’s interactive features can also
be used by travel agents as an electronic group marketing
tool to attract or retain their client base.
Deilmann Expands Golf Programs On
European River & Ocean Sailings
Peter Deilmann Cruises is offering an
expanded program of golf theme cruises this year on both
its European river cruises and ocean sailings on the Mediterranean,
Atlantic, Baltic and around the British Isles. Golf enthusiasts
can sail the inland waterways of the Danube, Rhine, Rhone
and Seine rivers, visit historic cities and towns and golf
on some of Europe’s most renowned courses. Departures are
between April and September.
Deilmann river cruises feature golf in
the Danube regions of Austria, Hungary and Germany, the
Provence region of France on the Rhône, the Normandy region
of France on the Seine and the Rhineland areas of Germany,
France and Switzerland. The six river cruise and golf packages
include pre- or post-hotel stays that offer additional opportunities
to golf at nearby courses.
Refurbishments Refresh Star Clippers
Fleet
The three tall ships that compose the
Star Clippers fleet recently received a series of upgrades
and enhancements. Public rooms, passenger areas and all
cabins throughout sister ships Star Clipper and Star Flyer
have been refurbished. Aboard Royal Clipper, the line’s
flagship, the public rooms were the primary focus. (Click
Exploration/Eco
Cruises for the details.)
Unique Explore Alaska Cruise Offered
By History Travel Channel August 10
Alaska has long been cherished for its
unparalleled rugged splendor. But, behind the calving glaciers,
soaring eagles and breaching humpbacks, exists a fascinating
and powerful history some of it not often told. Adventurous
travelers interested in unlocking some of the mystery can
voyage to our nation's last great wilderness with the Explore
Alaska Cruise. The cruise was created by History Travel,
which offers distinctive and experiential trips built around
the award-winning programming of The History Channel®, in
conjunction with travel partner Collette Vacations and Holland
America Line, a premium cruise line with over 58 years of
experience in Alaska. Steve Thomas from the television
series Save Our History will be on board to lecture and
host several events.
The seven-night cruise on HAL’s
ms Zaandam features port calls including Juneau,
Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria and scenic cruising in Glacier
Bay National Park and Alaska's Inside Passage. Guests enjoy
unique shore excursions designed especially for viewers
of The History Channel, onboard entertainment and much more.
(Click
Exploration/Eco Cruises for more information.) History
Channel website is http://www.historytravel.com.
Cruise West Announces Addition Of
New Ships And Itineraries
Cruise West, the preeminent American-owned
and operated small-ship cruise line, announced today that
it has acquired the Yorktown Clipper and the Nantucket Clipper,
previously part of the Clipper Cruise Line fleet. With the
increasing success of Cruise West and the projected profitability
over the course of upcoming years, this planned expansion
comes at an ideal time to again raise the bar of small-ship
cruising experiences, as Cruise West has often done before.
The 138-guest Yorktown Clipper and the
102-guest Nantucket Clipper officially joined the Cruise
West family in December. Both ships are U.S.-flagged coastal
cruise ships joining Cruise West’s fleet of American-owned
vessels, and will significantly enhance the company’s operational
reach. The new ships will sail the 2006 itineraries on
the East Coast, Great Lakes, Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico and
Central America previously published by Clipper Cruise Line,
but under Cruise West ownership and management. Guest programs
and amenities will offer the comfortable and modern accommodations
of these former Clipper small ships with the distinguished
exploration approach that Cruise West has so successfully
pioneered. Chairman and CEO Dick West said, “We are delighted
to expand our operations to the East Coast and to offer
our guests novel itineraries in the up-close, casual, and
personal style of cruising that have branded our ships for
over 60 years. Cruise West’s fleet, now consisting of 10
diverse ships, will completely circle North and Central
America and the entire Pacific Rim.”
Cruise West is the largest American small-ship
cruise line and will now be operating 10 vessels accommodating
70 to 138 guests on itineraries in Alaska, Mexico, Costa
Rica, on the Columbia River, in California Wine Country,
the South Pacific, and Japan. This expansion will also
increase the destinations that Cruise West guests can travel
to with the new vessels’ previously scheduled itineraries
to the East Coast of the Americas, Great Lakes and Caribbean.
The emphasis for all Cruise West destinations
is outward on the history, local cultures, shoreside attractions,
and on personal service. The cruising style offers flexible
schedules allowing intimate encounters with wildlife, scenery
and with like-minded guests. Zodiacs and other excursion
crafts offer access to wilderness shorelines. Each ship
features Cruise West Exploration Leaders who are experts
in the natural history, biology and lore of the destination.
INTRAV Officially Joins UK-Based First
Choice Holidays
This month INTRAV officially joined UK-based
First Choice Holidays PLC (First Choice) following the completion
of the purchase of the deluxe-tour and small-ship cruise
operator from Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd., originally announced
last month.
The 2006 INTRAV and Clipper Cruise Line
trips remain as scheduled.
The company will operate under the Grand
Expeditions group, based in Florida and recently purchased
by First Choice, with INTRAV President David Drier reporting
to Grand Expeditions Chief Operating Officer Hans Birkholz.
Under Grand Expeditions, INTRAV and Clipper
Cruise Line will focus on expansion in upscale niche markets
and development of new luxury and expeditionary trips. “Grand
Expeditions is excited to add the highly respected INTRAV
brand to its family of US companies,” Birkholz said. “INTRAV
has long been a leader in the U.S. travel market, and I
look forward to working closely with David and his management
team to develop new and innovative programs for the luxury
private-jet, escorted tour, worldwide river and expeditionary
cruise markets, where we anticipate a great deal of growth.”
INTRAV and Clipper will operate more
than 100 unique itineraries, with over 300 departures, throughout
the globe this year. INTRAV programs include relaxing river
cruises; in-depth, land-based explorations; and top-of-the-line
safari arrangements and private-jet journeys. Clipper itineraries
encompass every continent, offering exotic expeditionary
cruising with a high degree of comfort.
Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida,
with offices throughout the United States, Grand Expeditions
operates six companies that specialize in a variety of segments
in the North American premium-leisure travel market. Additional
information on Grand Expeditions is available at www.grandex.com.
Headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex,
England, First Choice is the market leader in activity adventure
holidays. Founded in 1973, the company operates in 17 countries
and has a strong presence in the North American market with
a variety of brands. Additional information on First
Choice is available at www.firstchoiceholidaysplc.com.
New Ship, New Cruises, $225 Million
Fleet Enhancements For HAL In 2006
In 2006, Holland America Line will debut
the new ms Noordam, feature eight ships cruising
Alaska, and complete its Signature of Excellence enhancements
across the fleet. The 1,918-passenger ms Noordam debuts
in February 2006 and is the first to be delivered with completed
Signature of Excellence amenities. She will sail maiden
ten- and 11-day voyages to the Caribbean from Holland America
Line's latest homeport, New York City, through the spring.
The innovative Culinary Arts Center presented
by Food & Wine Magazine will feature more than 60 celebrated
chefs and culinary experts to provide cooking demonstrations
and classes in the new state-of-the-art onboard show kitchens.
Each million dollar Culinary Arts Center features plasma
screens to view the action and portable cooking stations
where groups of up to 16 guests or children participating
in Club HAL can participate in hands-on classes.
Signature of Excellence enhancements
will be completed on 10 ships at the start of 2006 and all
13 ships by the fall of 2006. The $225 million initiative
includes upgrades to the ship's public spaces to luxurious
amenities in every stateroom. (More information on Cruise
Itineraries/Offers.)
Prefabricated Section of NCL Newbuild
‘Norwegian Pearl’ Salvaged
According to a January 18 news item in
Seatrade Insider, a section for NCL's newbuild Norwegian
Pearl, currently under construction at Meyer Werft (Papenburg)
and scheduled for delivery in 2007, fell off a pontoon earlier
this month while under tow to the yard and was successfully
salvaged.
Prefabricated in Poland, the 30-meter-long
section (98.43 feet) weighing 70 tons was loaded on a pontoon
under tow by the Ems Tug. Shortly after midnight on January
9 the tug and pontoon had set course out of the Elbe River,
heading towards the Ems in order to proceed to Papenburg.
The ro-ro vessel Tor Dania, heading for Cuxhaven, passed
between the tug and tow causing the tow rope to sever and
as a result the pontoon hit against the hull of Tor Dania
which suffered a 12-by-3 meter hole.
One of the ship's sections, loaded on
the pontoon, fell over-board and sank in the Elbe. It was
located later the same day in a depth of approximately 23
meters (75.46 feet). It was salvaged by a floating crane
and has since been transported to the yard.
A Meyer Werft spokesman quoted in the
German press says the incident will not effect the delivery
date for Norwegian Pearl, due to be handed over to NCL in
spring 2007.
However, it was unclear if the salvaged
section could still be used.
Australia’s First Superliner – Regal
Princess to Join P&O Cruises
Australia will soon have its own superliner,
with the 70,000 ton Regal Princess set to join P&O
Cruises’ fleet under a restructure. Designed by renowned
architect Renzo Piano, the elegant Regal Princess will be
the largest and most modern ship based in Australia when
she is deployed to local waters from the US-based Princess
Cruises’ fleet in spring 2007.
Announcing the move, P&O Cruises
Managing Director Gavin Smith said Regal Princess would
replace Pacific Sky, which had been sold to Pullmantur
Cruises, a Spanish cruise operator.
Under the conditions of sale, Pacific
Sky will leave P&O Cruises’ fleet on May 6, 2006.
“Unfortunately this will necessitate
the cancellation of some of our Asian cruise season and
we apologize unreservedly to all passengers affected,” Smith
said. “We will be giving them a full refund on any monies
paid, as well as a 15 percent future cruise credit on any
P&O Cruises Australia voyage booked by December 31,
2006.”
Smith said Pacific Sky had earned the
title of Australia’s most popular cruise ship, carrying
more than 250,000 passengers since she arrived in Australia
in November 2000.
“Interest in Pacific Sky from potential
buyers opened the way for us to replace her with Regal Princess,
which is well suited to the Australia/New Zealand market.”
Regal Princess will be tailored to the
Australian market before her deployment in late 2007 to
join P&O Cruises’ two other ships, the 1900-passenger
Pacific Sun and the 1400-passenger Pacific Star, he said.
The ship features 795 cabins, including
184 balcony staterooms, and is known for its distinctive
appearance. Designed by Renzo Piano—whose architectural
feats range from the Pompidou Centre in Paris to the Jean-Marie
Tjibaou Cultural Centre in Nouméa and the award-winning
Aurora Place in Sydney—Regal Princess has a unique dolphin-like
prow and a distinctive domed observation lounge that curves
around the ship’s front.
Regal Princess’ cruise program was expected
to go on sale in spring 2006.
Royal Caribbean International &
Celebrity Launch New Ad Campaigns
Royal Caribbean International
has launched a new advertising campaign that highlights
vacation experiences told from the guest perspective. Aptly
titled, “Create Your Own Adventure,” the ads are designed
to execute like home movies and bring the viewer closer
to the cruise experience by capturing real moments that
guests share on a Royal Caribbean vacation. The new television
ads will air on network prime time and early morning and
late night timeslots as well as some cable networks.
The campaign, created by the line’s agency
of record Arnold Worldwide, consists of four spots that
are a continuation of the successful “Get Out There” campaign
and showcase how guests can tailor the Royal Caribbean vacation
to suit their personal style. The first set of ads air on
Jan. 23, with the first spot featuring four girlfriends
having the time of their lives on a European cruise vacation,
both onboard the ship and in exciting destinations visited
by the cruise line. The second revolves around a family's
vacation in the Caribbean, and showcases many of the active
shore excursions and onboard amenities. Royal Caribbean
is currently completing the production of two additional
spots that are scheduled to air later in the year.
Celebrity Cruises has launched
a major new advertising campaign built around the theme,
"The Celebrity Treatment." Created by Arnold Worldwide,
the TV and print campaign showcases how Celebrity Cruises'
service and experience as a whole makes the line's guests
feel like celebrities. "This campaign is designed to
convey the emotional connection our guests feel from the
minute they step aboard until the moment they reluctantly
leave," said Celebrity's Senior Vice President of Marketing,
Ellen Taaffe. "It playfully conveys that special something
that only we can offer, which we call 'The Celebrity Treatment'."
The broadcast campaign - consisting of
two 30-second ads directed by award-winning commercial director
Erich Joiner - hits the airwaves this month and marks the
first time in several years that Celebrity has advertised
on network TV.
RMS Titanic In Joint Venture For Recovery
Expeditions To RMS Carpathia
RMS Titanic, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary
of Premier Exhibitions Inc. announced the formation of a
joint venture agreement with Legal Access Technologies,
Inc., which is an Atlanta, Georgia-based corporation formed
to engage in research, planning and recovery operations
for historic shipwrecks. RMS Titanic, Inc. announced they
had secured a $500,000 advance payment from LGAL in return
for a percentage ownership in the joint salvage efforts
that will start later in 2006. The Company also disclosed
LGAL will also have a minimum payment of Two Hundred Thousand
($200,000) due at a later date. RMST noted that they will
act as co-expedition partners when the expedition plans
are crafted, and the actual dives are conducted.
The RMS Carpathia has material historic
value as the actual rescue ship from the sinking of the
RMS Titanic, as well as the ships service in World War I.
The RMS Carpathia was sunk by a German u-boat in 1918. "The
RMS Carpathia is an important piece of the United Kingdom's
history, stated Herbert Leeming, President of Legal Access
Technology, Inc. "Our company is honored to be partnering
with one that has pioneered deep water salvages, through
their historic dives to the RMS Titanic…and it will provide
a great educational opportunity for people, as well as some
well deserved recognition, regarding the historical importance
of the ship and crew that saved over seven hundred survivors,
when the RMS Titanic tragically sank."
Legal Access Technologies, Inc. whose
name is currently being changed to UnderSea Recovery Corporation
(www.unsr.com) is an Atlanta based corporation formed to
engage in research, planning and recovery operations for
historic shipwrecks. UnderSea Recovery Corporation intends
to become an international leader in recovery of shipwrecks
and other cultural resources from the world's oceans and
large lakes by applying advanced technologies in an archaeologically
and environmentally sensitive manner.
Premier Exhibitions, Inc. is a major
provider of museum quality touring exhibitions throughout
the world.
Silversea Cruises Continues To Garner
Top Recognition
Silversea Cruises keeps strengthening
its reputation for winning top awards and recognition from
leading travel publications. According to Condé Nast Traveler,
the line's 382-guest, all-suite Silver Whisper offers the
very best accommodations at sea -- of any ship, large, medium
or small -- and the line's entire fleet of four ultra-luxury
ships is listed among the world's top ten small ships.
These achievements are revealed in the magazine's sixth
annual readers' survey of "The Best Cruise Ships in
the World," appearing in the February 2006 issue.
In addition, Seatrade Cruise Review,
a leading maritime trade publication, recently showcased
the spacious bathrooms of Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper
(which feature a free-standing glass shower stall as well
as a full-size bathtub) in its December 2005 cover story
"10 of the Best Bathrooms at Sea." "The fact
that our ships continue to receive accolades and praise
from our guests and the media is testament to our solid
commitment to excellence," said David Morris, Silversea's
senior vice president of sales for North America. "This
is the second consecutive year that Silver Whisper's suites
have been voted the best in the world. While it's always
gratifying to receive this type of recognition, you can
be sure we're not about to rest on our laurels, but will
keep looking for new ways to enhance our award-winning experience."
Discovery Cruise Announces Signing
of Letter of Intent to Sell
Rafael A. Ordonez, owner of Discovery
Cruise Line, announced this month that he has signed a Letter
of Intent for the sale of the assets of the company to Global
United Limited, a Bahamian corporation. Terms were not disclosed.
Discovery began sailing to the Bahamas in 1987 and has an
outstanding record of uninterrupted service for the past
19 years. The cruise line carries more than 200,000 passengers
to the Bahamas annually, and to date has carried over 4
million passengers to this popular destination.
Global United, in announcing the signing
of the Letter of Intent in Nassau, confirmed that it would
maintain the current route structure of Discovery, which
sails daily from Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. Global also stated its
intention to retain the management and staff of Discovery
in Miami.
‘The Orphalese’ Slated To Be Largest
Residential Ocean Liner
Orphalese Global Strategies Inc. has
announced the plans of its parent company to build The
Orphalese, the world’s largest ultra-luxe residential
ocean liner. The first vessel of her type and twice the
size of any other ship in her class, The Orphalese is the
first cruise ship designed with 200 private permanent residences,
as well as 265 suites for cruise passengers. The ship has
been designed by Aker Finnyards, one of the world’s leading
designers and builders of cruise vessels, based in Helsinki,
Finland.
Spending an average of 200 days in various
ports around the world, the new ship will give owners and
guests the opportunity to visit the globe's most exclusive
events and explore the cultural and historic offerings of
each country. Slated to debut in the fall of 2008, The
Orphalese is managed by Orphalese Global Strategies. For
more details, log onto www.theorphalese.com or call 800.ATR.SHIP
for sales.
Novel Cruise: 26 Authors Board the
Authors-At-Sea Cruise In April
Get up close and personal with 26 bestselling
authors aboard the Authors at Sea cruise April 2 to 9, 2006.
Authors at Sea encourages passengers to leave their reading
material at home as authors bring their books to life over
a week-long cruise through the Mexican Riviera aboard the
Carnival Pride(SM) stopping at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan
and Cabo San Lucas. Passengers will talk travel tips with
Arthur Frommer, drink mai tais with Debbie Macomber, lounge
in the pool with Luanne Rice and cook up something spicy
with Jennifer Bushman. For more information log on to http://www.authorsatsea.com/.
Not only is this a cruise for book lovers,
it is a deal for book lovers. Specially marked paperback
books are on sale offering consumers a coupon for $250 off
the cruise. To find a complete listing of these books and
more detailed information on the cruise, log on to http://www.authorsatsea.com or call Advantage
International, LLC toll-free (877-238-6843).
Royal Caribbean Statement Clarifying
Questions About Dr. Lee's Tests
Royal Caribbean International has been
asked to clarify why forensic investigator Dr. Henry Lee
was unable to complete two of the five tests he hoped to
conduct when he visited Brilliance of the Seas this week.
We greatly value the professionalism shown by Dr. Lee during
his visit and appreciate his gracious acknowledgement of
the courtesies we extended to him.
Dr. Lee completed three tests during
his visit. He was not able to conduct a fourth test because
the material he wished to examine was given to the FBI last
summer. Dr. Lee's fifth test—repeatedly throwing a mannequin
over the side of the ship—we postponed until February. Royal
Caribbean has offered Dr. Lee the use of an identical ship
when it enters drydock on February 5. The company had told
the families' attorneys we would have to make alternate
arrangements when they first requested this fifth test last
week.
Royal Caribbean sincerely hopes Dr. Lee's
day on Brilliance was productive and any findings will contribute
to FBI's ongoing investigation. (For more details on of
the Smith vs Royal Caribbean saga, please refer to last
item in ShipsandCruises’ January 12
Cruise News section.)
Carnival's ‘Sensation’ and ‘Holiday’
To Undergo Renovations
Carnival Cruise Lines' SuperLiners Sensation
and Holiday, currently on charter to the U.S. government
as part of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, will each undergo
a multi-million-dollar refurbishment prior to re-entering
service this spring.
Following a series of four- and five-day
voyages from Port Canaveral, Fla., from March to October,
the 2,052-passenger Sensation will return to New Orleans
Oct. 26, 2006, to resume year-round four- and five-day cruises—a
program it previously operated prior to Hurricane Katrina.
The 1,452-passenger Holiday will resume
its previously operated program of four- and five-day cruises
from Mobile, Ala. -- the only year-round schedule from that
port -- beginning March 27, 2006. "We're very pleased
to resume year-round service from New Orleans and Mobile,
both of which are popular and convenient homeports for our
guests and vital components to Carnival's operations,"
said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO. "The
Sensation and Holiday will emerge from the charters in excellent
condition and these multi-million-dollar renovations will
make these 'Fun Ships' even more attractive when they resume
service this spring," he added.
A Royal Occasion: ‘Queen Mary 2’ Meets
Namesake ‘Queen Mary’ February 22
Since Queen Mary 2's dazzling debut in
2004, Cunard enthusiasts have wondered if the grand ocean
liner would ever meet her legendary predecessor, the Queen
Mary. On February 22, 2006, that question will be answered
when Queen Mary 2 makes her maiden call to Los Angeles and
unites for the first time with her namesake, the Queen Mary,
in nearby Long Beach. Retired from maritime service for
nearly 40 years, the Queen Mary, which sailed from 1936
through 1967, is now permanently berthed in Long Beach and
is one of the city's most well-known attractions. "Through
Cunard's storied history, we can recall few occasions that
have inspired so much anticipation," said Carol Marlow,
president and managing director for Cunard Line. "The
meeting of the Queen Mary’s is a rare opportunity to witness
the convergence of Cunard's illustrious past with the line's
21st century future."
The historic meeting of the two Queens
will take place twice on Wednesday, February 22 at 7:00
am and again at 5:00 pm as Queen Mary 2 sails through outer
Long Beach harbor, sounding a special greeting to the Queen
Mary. The first-time salutation will take on even more meaning
as Queen Mary 2 carries one of her namesake's original whistles,
the tone of whose deep bass A note can be heard up to ten
miles away.
Queen Mary 2, which will have just completed
her 38-day South America Odyssey, will make her historic
Los Angeles debut in the Port of Los Angeles where she will
be berthed for a series of inaugural voyages sailing on
February 22, February 25 and March 8. Details regarding
related festivities and specific viewing areas for the public
will be announced soon.
The original Queen Mary first set sail
in May 1936, and was named for and launched by Her Majesty
Queen Mary amidst great fanfare and celebration. During
her more than 30 years at sea, the most celebrated liner
of its time hosted A-list celebrities and society figures,
sailed more than 1,000 transatlantic crossings and played
a pivotal military role between 1940-1946, when she was
commissioned to transport military troops during World War
II. After carrying more than 765,000 service personnel
throughout the conflict, Prime Minister Winston Churchill
credited Queen Mary (as well as sister ship Queen Elizabeth)
with ending the war one year earlier than estimated. Today,
the Queen Mary is one of Southern California's most recognizable
icons and continues to educate and entertain visitors from
all around the world, offering tours, exceptional exhibitions,
a calendar of festivals and numerous social and special
events year-round.
Both considered the very finest ocean
liners of their day, the two ships offer a range of fascinating
similarities and differences. For example, length-wise Queen
Mary 2 is just 113 feet longer than the Queen Mary, but
in terms of gross tonnage, she is nearly twice the size
of her predecessor. The Queen Mary has a dozen decks, but
QM2 has 17 and can carry nearly 600 more passengers than
her namesake.
CLIA Forecasts Continued Passenger
Growth In 2006
At a January 11 breakfast meeting in
New York, Cruise Lines International Association made some
projections on passenger growth in 2006. The 19 cruise-line
members of CLIA, which represent over 97 percent of cruise
capacity marketed in North America, are forecasting 11.7
million cruise passengers this year—an increase of half
a million passengers over 2005, with 10.14 million passengers
originating their cruise in North America.
The forecasted 500,000 passenger increase
represents 4.5 percent year-over-year growth commensurate
with the planned 4.5 percent net increase in 2006 CLIA-member
line capacity.
Based on third quarter 2005 results and
estimates for the fourth quarter, CLIA-member cruise lines
carried 11.2 million worldwide passengers last year, a 6.9
percent increase over the 10.46 million carried in 2004.
CLIA member lines carried 9.71 million North Americans in
2005 (compared with 8.87 million 2004) and also maintained
their high utilization rates, posting a collective occupancy
factor of 103 percent in 2005. “More consumers than ever
before recognize that cruise ships offer innovative facilities
and amenities, cutting-edge cuisine, and sheer excitement
that exceed any land-based vacation experience,” said Andy
Stuart, chairman of CLIA and executive vice president of
marketing sales and passenger services at NCL Corp. “Today’s
travelers also know cruise vacations offer exception value
and convenience, with an unprecedented number of departures
from 32 North American ports, plus activities for the entire
family and vacationers from every walk of life.”
Cruise sales expectations remain strong
heading into the 2006 Wave Season—the January through March
period that traditionally produces the heaviest cruise booking
activity of the year. According to results of a January
email poll of 850 professionals at CLIA-member agencies,
nearly half—54.8 percent—expect their 2006 Wave Season sales
to increase either moderately or significantly compared
with high levels achieved during 2005’s Wave Season. The
CLIA poll also indicates that consumers are booking in advance.
Of the agents polled, 47.2 percent said most clients booked
six months or more prior to sailing date while three-quarters
of respondents (75.1 percent) said most clients book four
or more months in advance. CLIA’s website: www.cruising.org
NCL Corp. Announces Names For Its
Two New Ships
NCL Corporation (NCL) is proud to announce
the names of its two newest ships—Norwegian Pearl
and Norwegian Gem. The ships, previously known as
hull S.669 and S.670, will be Norwegian Jewel class ships
and will be delivered in February 2007 and October 2007
respectively.
Currently under construction at Meyer
Werft in Germany, Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem will
feature all the attributes of NCL’s dynamic modern Freestyle
Cruising fleet with multiple restaurants, vibrant public
rooms, versatile, family-friendly accommodations and NCL’s
popular new Courtyard Villas. “Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian
Gem will be the ninth and 10th big new ships to join the
NCL fleet since the fleet modernization began in late 1999,”
said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL Corporation.
“Once Norwegian Gem is delivered in 2007, over 80 percent
of NCL’s capacity will be big, new and modern, keeping NCL
on track to offer the youngest fleet in the industry by
2010.” NCL will announce specifics on the new ships’ public
rooms and itineraries in the near future including details
about each ship’s distinctive hull artwork.
Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem will
join Pride of Hawaii when she is launched in April
and the seven big new ships built since 1999 and already
in service: Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Star, Norwegian
Dawn, Norwegian Spirit, Pride of Aloha, Pride of America
and Norwegian Jewel.
9 RCI & Celebrity Ships Earn Kuoni
Travel Group’s Green Planet Award
Six Royal Caribbean International and
three Celebrity Cruises ships have been awarded Kuoni Travel
Group’s 2005 Green Planet Award for their commitment to
environmental excellence and innovation. Royal Caribbean’s
Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of
the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and
Splendour of the Seas, as well as Celebrity Cruises’
Galaxy, Infinity and Millennium, were awarded
the global travel company’s “seal of eco-approval.” The
ships were recognized for initiatives involving onboard
recycling, waste management, energy and fresh water conservation,
crew training and guest communications.
Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland,
Kuoni introduced the Green Planet awards program in 2000
to recognize ecologically advanced hotel management. In
2003, the program was expanded to include cruise lines.
Kuoni officials say the award is intended to help environmentally
conscious consumers more easily identify eco-friendly companies
in the hospitality and tourism sector.
HAL Introduces Elemis Aromapure Spa
Amenities In Its Staterooms
Holland America Line is bringing the
luxuries of the exclusive Greenhouse Spa and Salon to each
individual stateroom with the introduction of a new line
of amenities by Elemis Aromapure that once again defines
Holland America as the leader in premium cruising. Traditionally,
the Elemis line of aromatherapy products could only be found
in the ships’ Greenhouse Spa and Salon, a tranquil oasis
of pampering, relaxation and the latest skin, body and hair
treatments. Now, guests can indulge daily with Elemis Aromapure’s
“Time to Spa” miniatures in their own stateroom. The fleet
wide roll out of new amenities begins with the launch of
the ms Noordam on February 22, 2006. “We selected the premium
Elemis Aromapure line to complement our Signature of Excellence
stateroom upgrades,” says Richard D. Meadows, CTC, senior
vice president, marketing and sales. “Every experience,
from sleeping upon a plush Euro-Top mattress to indulging
in the internationally acclaimed Elemis soaps, shampoos
and conditioners, is part of our overall initiative to set
a new standard in premium cruising.”
Elemis is one of the world’s leading
companies in aromatherapy skincare and spa-therapies. Each
product is infused with essential oils and exotic plant
extracts to treat the skin and re-awaken the senses.
Radisson Seven Seas Upgrades Its Fleet’s
Telecommunications Options
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises® is ushering
in the New Year with an expanded, upgraded roster of high
tech options now available for guests throughout its luxury
fleet*. The Seven Seas Voyager, her sister ship
Seven Seas Mariner, the all-suite (90 percent with
private balconies) Seven Seas Navigator and the 320-guest
Paul Gauguin now boast upgraded Internet access, digital
satellite feed TV, wi-fi “hotspots,” shipboard cell phone
service, and additional online capabilities.
Guests inclined to surf the web when
they cruise will find it about as easy at sea as it is on
land with upgraded Internet bandwidth providing faster connection
times - at the low cost of 35 cents per minute (or only
25 cents per minute for guests who opt to purchase a package
of 100 minutes for $25). And wi-fi “hotspots” discretely
located in select public areas will make wireless Internet
access on guests’ laptop computers a “breeze”.
With the line’s new digital satellite
feed to expand television programming aboard, guests will
have the choice of Fox News to supplement CNN in their suites.
Also, if they wish, guests may now stay
connected with friends and family back home, by using their
own cell phones from any Radisson Seven Seas vessel anywhere
in the world. Guests who opt to use their cell phones at
sea should expect rates roughly equivalent to Caribbean
roaming charges - even in Europe, or Asia or the South Pacific
- with billing via their existing cell phone service provider.
This service is not available when ships are in port or
for guests of the Paul Gauguin in French Polynesia**.
In addition to these new choices, Radisson
Seven Seas now offers guests with deposited reservations
innovative online capabilities, including the opportunity
to pre-reserve a table for dining at one of the line’s popular
alternative (by reservations only) restaurants, and, in
the near future, treatment at a shipboard Carita Spa. Another
new online feature to be added in the near future will allow
guests in upper level suites to be able to pre-register
any of their special requests directly with their butler.
All services described above are currently
available on one or more of the vessels in the fleet of
Radisson Seven Seas, and fleetwide in the near future.
New Developments On Tap At Carnival
For 2006
Carnival Cruise Lines has a number of
exciting developments planned for the 2006 cruise season,
including new year-round four- and five-day cruises from
Port Canaveral, Florida, featuring a brand new port of call,
Grand Turk, along with an expanded schedule of 12-day Mediterranean
voyages and the resumption of service from New Orleans and
Mobile, Alabama.
A number of new shipboard enhancements
are also scheduled to be rolled out fleetwide in the coming
year, including the “Carnival Comfort Bed” sleep system
and the “Georges Blanc Signature Selection” menu items created
by the world-renowned chef and restaurateur. Carnival will
also continue its efforts at catering to the family cruise
market and expects to carry a record 525,000 children this
year.
Three Carnival ships currently under
charter to the U.S. government for hurricane relief efforts
will resume their previously operated schedules in 2006.
The Holiday resumes year-round four-and five-day
cruises from Mobile, Ala., March 27; the Sensation launches
four- and five-day service from New Orleans Oct. 26; and
the Ecstasy begins four- and five-day service from
Galveston April 8. Elation, which replaced the Ecstasy
on four- and five-day cruises from Galveston, will continue
that program through April 3, then reposition to Miami for
its new seven-day cruise program beginning April 30.
Aker Yards And Alstom Marine Plan
To Join Forces
Aker Yards and ALSTOM announced last
week their intention to join forces in shipbuilding and
create together one of the world leaders in this industry,
focused on high-value-added ships, including world-class
cruise ships. The parties plan to establish a new company
consisting of the shipyards in Saint-Nazaire and Lorient.
Aker Yards would own 75 percent of this new company, and
ALSTOM would commit itself to keep the remaining 25 percent
until 2010. The transaction would enable continuity in management
and the actions taken as part of the Marine 2010 performance
improvement and cost reduction program already under implementation
in Alstom Marine. The transaction would have no direct impact
on employment.
By being part of Aker Yards, the new
company would benefit from a broadened product range and
strong industrial synergies. Aker Yards has 13 yards in
five countries in which it has demonstrated its ability
to implement synergies. It would be in a position to address
the strong growth which is expected in this market.
The new company would benefit from a
unique design competence, combining the long tradition of
French and Finnish cruise shipbuilding that has produced
icons such as SS France, Queen Mary 2, the Voyager class
and the Freedom class ships. Aker Yards would also be in
a position to fully leverage Chantiers de l'Atlantique's
large industrial capacity in cruise ships and naval vessels
in Saint-Nazaire. The shipyard is ideally positioned to
handle the construction of very large ships and is able
to respond to a cruise market which demands vessels of ever-increasing
size.
Aker Yards would pay EUR 50 million for
the 75 percent stake of the new company. Depending on the
financial performance, the remaining 25 percent would be
sold to Aker Yards for up to EUR 125 million in 2010. An
estimated amount of EUR 350 million would be injected by
ALSTOM into the newly formed company. This amount would
notably cover the anticipated increase in working capital
requirements from the current negative situation to an average
of EUR 100 million for the new company.
The proposed transaction, which would
be subject to a number of conditions, including finalization
of the agreement between the parties, the effective setting-up
of the new company and the requisite financing for the new
company, is expected to be concluded by the end of March
2006.
The transaction would be carried out
as a Sale of Assets from Chantiers de l'Atlantique to Aker
Yards. The LNG tankers under construction at Saint-Nazaire
are not a part of the transaction. The LNG vessels would
be completed by the new company as a subcontractor to Alstom.
Apart from the LNG vessels, the current order book, mainly
consisting of four cruise vessels would be included in the
transaction. Karl Erik Kjelstad, President & CEO of
Aker Yards in a statement said that “by joining the forces
of Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Aker Yards, we can create
a unique position in the shipbuilding industry, ready to
meet the ever increasing needs of tomorrows' demanding cruise
passengers."
Royal Caribbean And Celebrity Introduce
Remote Luggage Check-In Service
Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity
Cruises’ guests can now complete the dreaded airline and
luggage check-in process for their flights home even before
they step off the ship. The new service enables guests to
bypass the traditional airport
check-in process, adding convenience
and reducing wait time by an estimated 45 minutes to two
hours. The service is being rolled out at ports across the
United States, based on approval by the U.S. Transportation
Security Administration, Customs and Border Patrol, as well
as seaport, airport and airline security personnel.
Called “Onboard Check-in and Luggage
Valet,” the service is now available to Celebrity Cruises’
guests whose cruises conclude in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.;
Miami; San Diego; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Seattle. The
service is available for Royal Caribbean guests whose cruises
end in San Juan and Seattle. Both brands also offer the
service for arrivals in Vancouver, British Columbia.
To qualify, guests must fly to a U.S.
city on an expanding list of airlines on the same day their
cruise ends. Before leaving the ship, guests confirm with
cruise staff their flight information and the number of
bags to be checked. Based on that information – which also
is electronically forwarded to the airlines –boarding passes,
luggage tags and claim checks are printed and given to guests.
Guests with afternoon flights can take advantage of shopping
or city tours before going to the airport directly to security
checkpoints and on to their gates and flights. While guests
take in the sites, their luggage is securely transported
to the airport, processed and moved directly to their aircraft.
There is a nominal fee for the service, ranging from $10
to $20 per guest, which varies by port and service offering.
Holland America Line Names New Signature
Class
Holland America Line will call its recently
announced pair of new-builds the Signature Class, taking
the name from an integral component of the premium line's
branding and the current US$225 million Signature of Excellence
initiative.
With a firm order for one ship due in
summer 2008 and an option for another in spring 2010, the
Signature Class marks Holland America Line's latest class
of new build vessels and the largest ever constructed for
the premium line.
Previous new-build series include the
four-ship Statendam Class group, four-ship Rotterdam Class,
and four-ship Vista Class. The line also owns and operates
the 793-passenger ms Prinsendam. With an estimated all-in
cost of $450 million each, the new 86,000-ton Panamax Signature
Class vessels will be built at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's
Marghera shipyard.
The vessels are unnamed at this time.
"With innovative design and guest offerings, the Signature
Class ships will continue the evolution of Holland America
Line's sophisticated mid-sized ships and further our premium
leadership position," said Stein Kruse, president and
chief executive officer. "The two 2,044-passenger ships
represent a 22 percent increase in our capacity and will
allow us to achieve a greater share of the growing premium
cruise market." (Click New Ships for further details.)
Silversea Schedules Zahi Hawass As
2007 World Cruise Lecturer
Silversea has scheduled Egyptian archaeologist
Zahi Hawass as a lecturer on its 2007 world cruise. Hawass
is Egypt's secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities,
has a 30-year background in excavation and conservation
of some of Egypt's top monuments and is the man most responsible
for bringing the King Tut exhibit to the United States this
past year. The archaeologist is scheduled to host a series
of presentations aboard the Silver Shadow as the
ship journeys from Dubai to Alexandria in April 2007.
HAL Offering VIP Tickets To King Tut
Show At Ft Lauderdale Museum
As part of its sponsorship of the King
Tutankhamen exhibit at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale,
Holland America Line is offering VIP tickets to passengers
on ships arriving in Fort Lauderdale through April 23, 2006.
Priced at $75 per person, the tickets entitle guests to
visit the exhibit any time during the museum's operating
hours and include front-of-the-line entry. The ticket price
also covers an audio tour narrated by Omar Sharif. Transport
to the museum is not covered. Tickets can be purchased in
advance at www.hollandamerica.com or onboard the
ship.
Costa Sending ‘Costa Allegra’ To Hong
Kong For Two Two-Week Cruises
Costa Cruises announced that it is deploying
the Costa Allegra, one of its older ships that was built
in 1992, to Hong Kong where it will operate two 13-day cruises
between Hong Kong and Mumbai. Departure of the first cruise
from Hong Kong is scheduled at the end of May, calling at
Danang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam; Singapore,
Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Phuket in Thailand, Port Blair
in the Andaman Islands, Colombo in Sri Lanka, Goa and finishing
in Mumbai. The vessel will sail a return leg on June 13.
The itineraries will be marketed in Hong Kong and mainland
China but Costa is preparing to sell them in Europe with
fly-cruise packages starting at under €3,000.
HAL Increases Seattle-to-Alaska Sailings
With Addition of Third Ship in 2006
Seattle's home town cruise line, Holland
America Line, will nearly double its roundtrip sailings
from Seattle to Alaska in 2006, adding a third ship to offer
a total of 61 departures from May 5 through September 22.
"The increasing demand for seven-day Alaska cruises,
coupled with the convenience of departing from a U.S. port,
is driving our expansion of cruises departing from Seattle,"
said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, senior vice president, marketing
and sales. "The 61 sailings we'll offer next summer
make up 40 percent of our total deployment to Alaska in
2006, a total of 159 cruises on eight, five-star ships."
Vista-class ship ms Oosterdam
returns to sail another season of seven-day Alaskan Explorer
cruises, joined in 2006 by sister ship ms Westerdam.
Also new to Seattle, the 1,432-passenger ms Zaandam
completes the trio featuring 21 cruises which showcase Glacier
Bay as well.
Celebrity Cruises Leaps Toward New
Century
Celebrity signed with Fincantieri in
Palermo, Italy, to handle the significant revitalization
of its 77,713-ton Century cruise ship in 2006. The
approximately $55-million makeover designed to incorporate
on Century a variety of Celebrity's most popular Millennium-class
attributes marks the line's most extensive refurbishment
to-date, and the first time the company has worked directly
with Fincantieri. The Century project will be the largest
cruise ship modification to-date for the Palermo yard.
Century will emerge on June 2, 2006,
from a five-week drydock period at Fincantieri with 314
new verandas, 14 new suites, 10 new staterooms ranging from
inside to veranda category, an expanded number of Concierge
Class category staterooms, a new specialty restaurant, and
a series of features and amenities that typify the line's
acclaimed Millennium-class fleet. The contract with Fincantieri
involves Century's major structural modifications, new verandas
and associated stateroom interiors, new staterooms on deck
12, and regular drydock work. Other interior outfitting
contractors also will handle portions of the work. (Click
New Ships
for more details.)
Oceania Cruises Partners With Amadeus
Oceania Cruises is pleased to announce
that it has partnered with Amadeus, a global leader in technology
and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry.
Harnessing Amadeus’ global presence and the cutting-edge
technology of its automated
cruise-booking tool, Amadeus Cruise,
the worldwide travel partners of Oceania Cruises will now
have access to the line’s award-winning upscale cruises
right at their fingertips.
"With our incorporation into Amadeus’
industry-leading cruise booking tool, travel agents around
the globe will have all the selling and booking tools in
place from which to sell Oceania Cruises along with shore
excursion packages and pre- and post-cruise stays,"
stated Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Oceania Cruises.
"Amadeus Cruise is the most widely
used automated cruise booking tool in the industry, with
more than 40,000 terminals in 80 countries worldwide. Amadeus
Cruise allows any travel agency to sell cruises right from
their desktop using the Internet, regardless of their location
or GDS affiliation.”
As an additional incentive for US and
Canadian agents, Oceania Cruises is offering a $50 bonus
commission on any cruises booked before January 31, 2006
(with a maximum of 10 bookings per agency or agency group).
Oceania Cruises will also pay a 5 percent commission on
shore excursions booked through Amadeus Cruise.
Amadeus Cruise is available free of
charge to U.S. travel agents and can be used by any travel
agency regardless of their GDS or consortium affiliation.
Amadeus has central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters
& marketing), Nice (development)
and Erding (operations including the
data processing center) and regional offices in Miami, Buenos
Aires and Bangkok. At market level, Amadeus maintains customer
operations in 75 countries covering more than 215 markets.
The company, jointly owned by BC Partners, Cinven, Air France,
Iberia and Lufthansa, has more than 6,500 employees worldwide,
representing 95 nationalities. More information on Amadeus
is available at www.amadeus.com
.
Carnival UK Issues Cruise Report 2005
The Cruise Report 2005, issued last month,
details trends and changes in the UK Cruise Market—the fastest
growing sector of the UK travel industry. Commenting on
the report, David Dingle, managing director, Carnival UK,
which issued the report, said that “demand for cruising
continues to grow faster in the UK than for any other type
of mainstream holiday. . .We estimate growth of nearly 22
percent over the two years from 2004 to 2006, with one and
a quarter million British people taking a cruise by then.
In fact, more people go on cruise holidays than go skiing.”
He also added that today’s UK cruise industry is now a billion
pounds ($1.7 billion) industry.
The report finds that record numbers
of younger people are cruising and the average age of cruise
passengers is falling to an all time low. On Ocean Village
it is 38 years old, underlining that cruising is a top-of-mind
family holiday choice. In 2005 P&O Cruises carried a
record number of families with children (nearly 9,000 children)
and, on P&O Cruises largest-ever ship Ventura,
due in 2008, there will be a bistro for families as well
as two pools designated exclusively for parents with children.
However the growth at the younger end
is balanced by increasing life expectancy so established
passengers are buying more cruises as they are living longer
and leading healthier lifestyles.
-- Almost all passengers vote cruise
holidays better than previous land-based holidays
-- British passengers take the lead as
world cruise bookings surge ahead—passengers see a world
cruise as a “gap year in luxury”—they still want the excitement
of exploring the world but instead of doing it on a budget
they now want to travel in comfort and some style. And shorter
sectors of the world voyages are now a popular choice with
younger travelers looking for stress-free holidays in multiple,
far-flung destinations.
-- Shore excursions are no longer simply
round-city coach tours. Today’s favorites include canyoning
(hurling down waterfalls in a wetsuit and hard hat); river
tubing; quad-biking; snorkeling and horse-riding. There
is also a demand for independent city tours and even family-oriented
trips to water parks and football stadiums.
-- Ships’ spas are no longer the preserve
of women—one in three health, fitness and beauty treatments
are now booked by men. While men are choosing stress-busting
head and neck massages, hot stone aromatherapy and poultice
massages top the polls of women’s favorite treatments.
-- Weddings at sea, as offered by Princess
Cruises, are doubling every year. P&O Cruises, which
will launch its own weddings at sea in April 2006 was “overwhelmed”
by the number of brides-to-be who want to escape traditional
UK weddings in favor of captain-officiated weddings on the
ocean.
-- There is now a fast-expanding range
of dining options on ships – from intimate bistros with
celebrity chefs, to Italian trattorias and steakhouses,
pizzas and burgers, Asian-fusion and specialty seafood.
Eating when you like, where you like and with the companion(s)
you choose is now the order of the day.
-- New passengers with new tastes have
sparked on-board innovations in entertainment from Tai Chi
and digital photography to punk rock, laser shows and late-night
alternative comedy clubs.
-- “Sex & the City”- style Cosmopolitans
top on-board cocktail choices on some ships while New World
wines challenge traditional European vintages, reflecting
changing tastes and drinking habits.
-- Two out of every five UK passengers
cruise on one of the Carnival UK brands – P&O Cruises,
Princess Cruises, Cunard, Ocean Village and Swan Hellenic.
-- Cruise passengers are rewarded by
early booking discounts of up to 45 percent—one in three
book a year ahead.
Crystal Harmony To Emerge As The New
‘Asuka II’
Crystal’s Crystal Harmony arrived this
month in Yokohama where she will undergo extensive refurbishment
to tailor the vessel to the Japanese market. When she begins
her new cruising schedule for Nippon Usen Kaisha (NYK) the
parent company of Crystal Cruises, her new name will be
Asuka II and she will replace the 1991-built Asuka. The
new Asuka will increase passenger capacity from 592 to 720
and she will be marketed strictly for the Japanese trade.
The original Asuka has been chartered to the German company
Phoenix Reisen based in Bonn and will sail under the name
of Amadea.
US NTSB Issues Report On April 2005
‘Norwegian Dawn’ Wave Incident
The US National Transportation Safety
Board (NTSB) has released its report on the large wave that
struck Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Dawn on
April 16, 2005. After experiencing extremely rough weather,
the ship was hit by an unpredictable, large wave near South
Carolina on its return trip to New York from Miami during
a Bahamas/Florida cruise.
The NTSB determined that NCL acted appropriately
during the severe weather and tried to accommodate and comfort
its passengers. The report notes that: "Rather than
attempting to maintain the scheduled arrival time in New
York, the master decided to lower the ship's speed and change
its heading for the passengers' comfort." Moreover,
"the hotel staff tried to accommodate the passengers'
needs and make them comfortable."
NCL's officers and crew are trained to
handle situations at sea like the one that faced Norwegian
Dawn and the NTSB praised the crew for having "properly
prepared the vessel for heavy weather" and noted that
NCL kept its passengers apprised of the developments by
continually providing "advisory announcements to the
passengers."
The NTSB report notes that the winds
and seas experienced by the ship became "heavier-than-expected"
and recognized the unpredictability of the incident by concluding
that "the probable cause of the damage to Norwegian
Dawn and of the injuries suffered by its passengers was
waves breaking over the bow during the ship's unavoidable
encounter with severe weather and heavy seas."
Similarly, after a thorough investigation
immediately following the incident, the BMA previously issued
its findings and found that the action of Norwegian Dawn's
Captain was "prudent and appropriate throughout."
In addition, the BMA determined that "there is no evidence
that any real or perceived urgency to arrive at New York
earlier was a factor in the handling of the ship or that
Norwegian Cruise Line did anything but support the captain's
on-scene decisions."
The full NTSB report is available at
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2005/MAB0503.htm
.
December 23 Bus Accident In Funchal
Kills Five ‘Costa Classica’ Passengers
The shore excursion bus accident that
killed five Costa Classica passengers in Funchal
last week is under investigation by Portuguese authorities.
Five other passengers who were on board the bus that went
off the road in Madeira on Dec. 23 are still hospitalized
in the Portuguese island.
According to local reports, the bus driver
failed an initial breathalyzer test and his blood sample
was sent to Lisbon for further examination. The Costa ship
returned to its homeport in Savona and then resumed her
cruises.
Costa Crociere is refunding the full
cost of the cruise to those who were on board the bus and
also paying for the journey to Madeira for relatives of
those passengers who died or were injured in the incident.
Reportedly, there are at least three insurance companies
involved and Costa has created a team of three people to
assist passengers with their legal claims.
Royal Caribbean International Responds to Allegations
Involving George Smith's Disappearance With Factual Chronology
A day after the widow, Mrs. George Smith,
gave her version of what happened on their ill-fated honeymoon
cruise in an article on the front page of the January 4,
2006 New York Times Metro section, Royal Caribbean International
(RCI) published their straightforward account of the circumstances
surrounding the mysterious disappearance of George Smith,
IV in the early morning hours of July 5, 2005, while the
Brilliance of the Seas was sailing in the Mediterranean
Sea on a 12-day cruise enroute to Turkey.
The reason for his disappearance, says
RCI, is being thoroughly investigated by the FBI but what
happened is still unknown. “The FBI has requested that Royal
Caribbean and others connected with the incident limit their
remarks so as not to compromise that investigation” and
“we have resisted commenting until now. Even today [January
6], we will not comment on items which could interfere with
the FBI's investigation. But there has been a lot of inaccurate
and unfair speculation about our company's response to the
incident, and the time has come to set the record straight.”
Click Statement to read the entire RCI
factual chronology on what happened on that fateful cruise.
Then four days after the release of the
RCI statement, the company held a telephone news conference
when it made a strong plea for accuracy in reporting the
George Smith case. In detailing what the line called the
top 10 myths about its handling of Smith’s disappearance,
company officials again refuted allegations that Royal Caribbean
had impeded the investigation, destroyed evidence or abandoned
Smith’s wife in Turkey. They also said Turkish authorities
held jurisdiction ‘as a matter of international law and
maritime law’ because the ship was docked in Kusadasi, a
point agreed to by the FBI.
Capt. William Wright, senior vice president
fleet operations for Royal Caribbean, and legal counsel
Lanny Davis, a Washington attorney (and former White House
counsel in the Clinton administration), recapped the company’s
actions during the time of Smith’s disappearance from a
Mediterranean cruise last July. Their comments reiterated
the chronology of events in the January 6 RCI
statement.
In response to questions about news reports
of blood in the Smiths’ cabin, attorney Davis said there
was ‘no apparent blood’ when Mrs. Smith, who had been found
sleeping in a corridor, was returned to her room by ship’s
security officers. “The bed was made with the cover on the
bed. Mrs. Hagel Smith was placed on top of the bed,” Davis
said. He added: “The FBI asked us not to comment on what,
if anything, was found under the bedspread.” Davis also
stressed that only one complaint call was received during
the night, about ‘party noises in the cabin. ‘Multiple misstatements
on television shows that Royal Caribbean ignored reports
about arguing and furniture moving are false,’ he said.
Royal Caribbean officials confirmed that
two of the four men seen helping an apparently intoxicated
George Smith back to his cabin on the night of his disappearance
were later accused of an alleged sexual assault by a female
passenger, which the ship reported to the FBI and Italian
authorities in the next port of call, Naples. Italian officials
conducted two interviews, then declined jurisdiction. Because
of the serious nature of the allegation and a videotape
indicating ‘something of a sexual nature had occurred,’
Wright said the captain ordered the accused passengers off
the ship, and their parents left with them.
Addressing one of the “10 myths” that
cruise ships are not safe, Wright cited FBI crime statistics
of a rate of 465.5 incidents per 100,000 people in the U.S.
Fifteen incidents are reported among the 90,000 passengers
and crew carried on any given day by his company. “It’s
over 30 times safer to be on a cruise ship, according to
FBI statistics, than in a city in America,” Wright pointed
out, adding that in 2004 and 2005, when Royal Caribbean
carried 7 million passengers, the company had five man-overboard
incidents. “Of those, there is only one—George Smith—where
there is any suspicion of foul play.”
But there’s more……
Plaintiff attorneys
representing the Smith family, says Royal Caribbean, apparently
provided "before and after" photos of the George
Smith's cabin to MSNBC's "Rita Cosby Live" on
January 10, in flagrant disregard of the FBI's specific
and repeated requests not to describe the cabin— an action
that could seriously impede the FBI's investigation. Royal
Caribbean had voluntarily given photos and other information
to the plaintiff attorneys in good faith. It also requested
the information be kept "confidential so that nothing
is done to compromise the FBI's investigation." RCI
officials are outraged that the plaintiff attorneys would
so cavalierly ignore FBI requests for confidentiality and
place the investigation at risk purely for publicity purposes.
The two photos were a "before"
photo, taken at approximately 9 a.m. on July 5, and an "after"
photo taken at approximately 4 p.m. on July 7. The "before"
photo shows the Smith's cabin immediately after the ship's
Captain ordered the cabin sealed and posted a guard. The
"after" photo followed three important events,
all of which the company has disclosed previously:
* July 5: Turkish authorities had completed
their forensic investigation.
* July 5: Our Guest Relations Manager,
Marie Breheret, entered the Smith's cabin to pack their
belongings. A U.S. Consulate official joined her in the
cabin.
* July 7: The FBI and a U.S. Consulate
official boarded the ship and entered the Smith's cabin
in Pireaus, Greece.
Stay tuned.
