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  1. CruiseNews
    PHUKET: With Phuket's Deep Sea Port being targeted for a huge upgrade, the island has great untapped potential in the global cruise ship industry – not just as a port of call but also as a port to call home. (See page 5, current issue of the Phuket Gazette. Digital subscribers click here to download the full newspaper.) Mention the words "cruise ship" and "Phuket", and most readers will conjure up memories of the ugly blockading of our port by locally based taxi drivers, but its current location is the only logical place for such a facility on the island. Many cruise ship operators in the region currently drop anchor off Patong, where a floating pier is moored in the high season, the only time weather permits. This is a pity because cruise ship tourism is potentially a lucrative year-round proposition for Phuket, which has a virtually unbeatable array of onshore activities to offer visitors. Unfortunately, the Deep Sea Port is too far from Patong, Phuket Town or other popular destinations to make such destinations very attractive to cruise ship passengers, who typically enjoy only a morning, an afternoon or at best a day here. As such, unless the current transport situation can be vastly improved, the port's appeal will largely remain limited to all but military vessels and cargo ships. Upgrading the facilities at the port to accommodate Thai-flagged vessels is one concept than has until now been given little or no attention in the local press. As a major regional port, Phuket already has most of the infrastructure needed, including a petrochemical tank farm and container facility to provision even the largest seagoing vessels. There is also a great deal of public land available for expansion. Another area of potential interest might be casino gambling, which though illegal in Thailand and its territorial waters, is common aboard cruise ships worldwide, allowing punters to enjoy games of chance while in international waters. Many arguments have been put forward asserting that the illegality of gambling in Thailand not only costs the nation untold billions in lost revenue to casinos set up along its borders, but also perpetuates an underground industry in the country that fuels state-sector corruption while undermining the democratic process by financing vote-buying. Estimates by the The National Economic and Social Advisory Council have put the loss as high as 800 billion baht annually. Establishment in Phuket of "casino cruises" of the type already popular in many other parts of the globe would not only be a logical first step toward development of Phuket as a regional hub for the cruise ship industry, but would also serve as a boon to the economy. It would also provide an elegant solution to the discomfort suffered by our legislators when they contemplate legalized gambling on shore.
  2. CruiseNews
    THE operators of a Cairns-based cruise ship on which a crew member died three years ago say it was an unfortunate accident. They say the recommendations in a maritime report about the death on Oceanic Discoverer at the Port of Napier on February 19, 2009 had or would be met. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission report said that a hydraulic fire door, which closed at twice the allowable speed, trapping the 34-year-old man, was named as a contributor to the death of the vessel's chief engineer. The report said the crew was conducting a fire and emergency drill and closing and testing the hydraulic water-tight doors. The master closed the doors remotely from the bridge and some minutes later the chief engineer opened the doors to the engine room. "The chief engineer was trapped in the door for more than eight minutes before he was found and the crew was able to free him," the report said. "He was resuscitated but never regained consciousness and later died in hospital." The chief engineer, a Brisbane-based Australian of Sri Lankan descent, possibly tried to pass through the door before it was fully opened and "for some reason it began closing and trapped him". The commission's investigation found the water-tight door did not comply with the minimum requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. The safety management systems on board did not ensure the doors were maintained in line with regulations or good marine engineering standards. The commission recommended Maritime New Zealand and the International Marine Organisation "address" the issue of water-tight door safety. It also wants the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to address issues with the safety management system on board the Oceanic Discoverer. Coral Princess Cruises general manager Mark Fifield said all the issues raised in the report had been fixed before the report was published late last week. "Two months before the incident we had a full safety system audit and review and the comment was how good our systems were and they were beyond the required standards," Mr Fifield said. "It was an unfortunate accident."
  3. CruiseNews
    Deteriorating electrical machinery led to an explosion last year on Cunard's Queen Mary 2, safety officials have concluded. In a final report on the incident issued today, the U.K.'s Marine Accident Investigation Branch says deterioration in capacitors that store energy on the 2,620-passenger Cunard flagship triggered the blast, which took place Sept. 23, 2010 as the vessel was approaching Barcelona. No one was injured by the explosion, which occurred in a main switchboard room, but it caused all four of the ship's propulsion motors to shut down, leaving the vessel adrift for at least half an hour. The explosion also resulted in a brief shipwide blackout. "As the vessel was well away from traffic and not in congested or shallow waters, the loss of power for 30 minutes did not cause any navigational difficulties," the report notes. "However, losing control of a large cruise liner due to an electrical blackout, with 3,823 people on board (including crew), is a serious concern." RELATED: Safety officials issue warning after ship explosion PHOTO TOUR: A look inside the Queen Mary 2 The 77-page report was critical of a protection system that could have provided an early warning before the explosion but was not functioning and may not have been functioning for several years. "Protection systems of critical equipment, especially when there are no alternative or back-up systems, must fail safe," the report concluded. "They should also be tested at regular intervals to verify that all the sub-components in the system are functional." Noting that the Queen Mary 2 had experienced multiple capacitor failures since its debut in 2004, the report also suggested crew members need to be more aware of patterns of problems with machinery. "The failure to identify the trend of high consumption of capacitors on board QM2 was a major contributory factor in this accident," the report says. "Component failure can often be a symptom of an underlying problem with an equipment or system. Ship managers and crew should be more alert to this." The report notes Cunard has made procedural changes on the ship since the incident.
  4. CruiseNews
    Sheboygan's economy and status as a tourist destination will get a boost with the announcement that a cruise ship will stop here several times next summer. Packages for the week-long cruise aboard the 138-passenger Yorktown, which includes seven stops in Sheboygan next summer from June through August. Sheboygan will be the ship's only Wisconsin stop. "We're definitely excited about it," said Sheboygan County Tourism Director Amy Wilson. "It's another way to put Sheboygan on the map." Having Sheboygan a stop for Great Lakes cruise ships has long been a goal for city economic development leaders, especially since the development of the South Pier area. One impediment has always been the shallowness of the Sheboygan River, which in the lower river area is only about four feet deep, but will be deepened to 14 feet deep in 2012 by the Army Corps of Engineers. The Yorktown, which has a draft of eight feet, next summer will anchor between the north and south break waters and then shuttle its passengers ashore and back during it's one-day stop, city Development Manager Chad Pelishek said. After 2012, the 257-foot-long, 43-foot-wide Yorktown, and potentially other cruise ships, will be able to berth along the South Pier. "This has been a goal of the South Pier district since it was built, to be a cruise ship terminal," Pelishek said. The Yorktown's one-week cruises begin or end in Detroit and Chicago. In between, besides Sheboygan, its one-day stops are in Bayfield, Ontario, Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, Whitefish Point in Lake Superior, Mackinac Island, Mich., and Holland, Mich. Base prices for tickets for the seven-day passage range from about $4,000 to $7,000. The ship sails at night and arrives at each destination in the morning, offloading its passengers, who re-board at night. "We're working on a welcome wagon to get them into the downtown so they can see what Sheboygan offers," Pelishek said. Wilson said public transportation also will be made available to take ship passengers to locations outside downtown. Wilson said also hopes to develop pre-planned packages that ship passengers could purchase. "We're hoping to do some outreach with local businesses and coordinate with the Harbor Centre Business Improvement District and do some special things," Wilson said. State tourism data estimates that the economic impact of a single day trip is about $60 per person. With about 1,000 visitors coming to Sheboygan aboard the Yorktown, that means the direct economic impact will be in the neighborhood of about $60,000, Wilson estimated. "The impact would rise above that with some preplanned countywide tours," she said. The bigger impact, however would be if it helped draw other cruise ships to the city. "In our long range plan, we developed facilities to make Sheboygan a destination port," Pelishek said. "And hopefully this will be the start to help make Sheboygan attractive to others. It should be something good for the future."
  5. CruiseNews
    Few travellers to Antarctica see Emperor Penguins, the largest in the penguin family. Emperors tend to stay further south than most Antarctic passenger cruises reach. However, vessel Le boreal was recently able to make its way South in the Weddell Sea to Snow Hill Island where there is a colony of Emperor Penguins. This is an extremely rare event, one that has not been achieved in over 10 years and a few seasons ago, another vessel was was ice-bound for days in the same spot. This opportunity was the result of expedition leader Larry Hobbs having reviewed the ice-charts in advance. Mr Hobbs had also received input that the forecast was that ice was likely to shift further south than is normal. Due to the speed and stability of Le Boreal (and aided by very good weather) the ship was able to arrive at Snow Hill early enough on December 12 to accomplish this amazing landing. With its vast expanses of ice untouched by civilisation, Antarctica remains one of the most beautiful places in the world. Combining adventure and the wonder of nature, Antarctica is the perfect destination for the enthusiastic voyager. For the past 20 years, Abercrombie & Kent have been offering award winning cruises to Antarctica. A&K's new cruiser vessel, Le Boreal, boasts the highest standards in comfort, design and safety and journeys are accompanied by an expert group of lecturers and researchers. Abercrombie & Kent's Antarctic cruises take travellers to the heart of this pristine wilderness, bringing you face-to-face with nature at its best.
  6. CruiseNews
    Norwegian Cruise Line will return to the Mexican Riviera in winter 2013-14, operating seasonal voyages from Los Angeles after what will be a two-year hiatus. The Norwegian Star will operate nine seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages along with eight 14-day Panama Canal cruises between Los Angeles and Miami beginning on Oct. 13, 2013. The Mexico sailings will operate December 2013 and March and April 2014. Ports of call include Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Norwegian announced the return to Mexico in its 2013-14 winter deployment, which also includes six ships sailing to the Caribbean and Bahamas/Florida from four homeports --Miami, New Orleans, Tampa and New York. The company also will operate two shipsin Canada/New England -- Norwegian Gem from New York and Norwegian Dawn from Boston and Quebec. The line also is offering four trans-Atlantic crossings and several repositioning cruises. These cruises go on sale to Norwegian's top travel partners and past guests today, Dec. 13, and to the general public on Dec. 15. Norwegian will base three ships in Miami in winter 2013-14. Norwegian Epic will return for its fourth season in Miami, sailing 25 seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruises from Nov. 2, 2013, to April 19, 2014, departing on Saturdays. Norwegian Pearl will operate 26 seven-day Western Caribbean cruises from Oct. 20, 2013, through April 13, 2014. Norwegian Sun will sail 10- and 11-day Southern Caribbean cruises with Sunday and Wednesday departures from Oct. 9, 2013, through April 16, 2014. Ports of call on the 10-day cruise include: St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Maarten. The 11-day cruise also visits Aruba, Curacao and Cartagena, Colombia. Norwegian Jewel will debut in New Orleans on Oct. 13, 2013, offering 26 seven-day Western Caribbean cruises through April 13, 2014. New for 2013, Norwegian Jewel will alternate Western Caribbean itineraries in November and December. The first itinerary features Costa Maya, Cozumel, Roatan and Belize City. The second itinerary includes Ocho Rios or Falmouth, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Norwegian Dawn will return to Tampa and sail 22 seven-day Western Caribbean sailings from Nov. 17, 2013, through April 20, 2014. The ship will also offer a two-night cruise on Nov. 15, 2013. From New York, Norwegian Gem will continue seven-day Bahamas & Florida cruises from April 27, 2013, through Sept. 7, 2013. The port order of the itinerary has been changed to include more port time in Port Canaveral. The order will be Nassau, Great Stirrup Cay, Port Canaveral and three days at sea. Beginning Oct. 19, 2013, Norwegian Gem will sail 21 nine-day Eastern Caribbean cruises through April 23, 2014. The ship will also offer six one-night cruises from New York on Nov. 15 and Dec. 13, 2013, along with Jan. 10, Feb. 7, March 7 and April 4, 2014. Norwegian Dawn will operate four Canada/New England itineraries between Boston and Quebec from Sept. 13 to Oct. 4, 2013. These sailings can also be combined. Norwegian Gem offers five seven-day Canada/New England cruises from New York from Sept. 9 through Oct. 12, 2013. Click here to view the article
  7. CruiseNews
    Norwegian Cruise Line will return to the Mexican Riviera in winter 2013-14, operating seasonal voyages from Los Angeles after what will be a two-year hiatus. The Norwegian Star will operate nine seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages along with eight 14-day Panama Canal cruises between Los Angeles and Miami beginning on Oct. 13, 2013. The Mexico sailings will operate December 2013 and March and April 2014. Ports of call include Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Norwegian announced the return to Mexico in its 2013-14 winter deployment, which also includes six ships sailing to the Caribbean and Bahamas/Florida from four homeports --Miami, New Orleans, Tampa and New York. The company also will operate two shipsin Canada/New England -- Norwegian Gem from New York and Norwegian Dawn from Boston and Quebec. The line also is offering four trans-Atlantic crossings and several repositioning cruises. These cruises go on sale to Norwegian's top travel partners and past guests today, Dec. 13, and to the general public on Dec. 15. Norwegian will base three ships in Miami in winter 2013-14. Norwegian Epic will return for its fourth season in Miami, sailing 25 seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruises from Nov. 2, 2013, to April 19, 2014, departing on Saturdays. Norwegian Pearl will operate 26 seven-day Western Caribbean cruises from Oct. 20, 2013, through April 13, 2014. Norwegian Sun will sail 10- and 11-day Southern Caribbean cruises with Sunday and Wednesday departures from Oct. 9, 2013, through April 16, 2014. Ports of call on the 10-day cruise include: St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Maarten. The 11-day cruise also visits Aruba, Curacao and Cartagena, Colombia. Norwegian Jewel will debut in New Orleans on Oct. 13, 2013, offering 26 seven-day Western Caribbean cruises through April 13, 2014. New for 2013, Norwegian Jewel will alternate Western Caribbean itineraries in November and December. The first itinerary features Costa Maya, Cozumel, Roatan and Belize City. The second itinerary includes Ocho Rios or Falmouth, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Norwegian Dawn will return to Tampa and sail 22 seven-day Western Caribbean sailings from Nov. 17, 2013, through April 20, 2014. The ship will also offer a two-night cruise on Nov. 15, 2013. From New York, Norwegian Gem will continue seven-day Bahamas & Florida cruises from April 27, 2013, through Sept. 7, 2013. The port order of the itinerary has been changed to include more port time in Port Canaveral. The order will be Nassau, Great Stirrup Cay, Port Canaveral and three days at sea. Beginning Oct. 19, 2013, Norwegian Gem will sail 21 nine-day Eastern Caribbean cruises through April 23, 2014. The ship will also offer six one-night cruises from New York on Nov. 15 and Dec. 13, 2013, along with Jan. 10, Feb. 7, March 7 and April 4, 2014. Norwegian Dawn will operate four Canada/New England itineraries between Boston and Quebec from Sept. 13 to Oct. 4, 2013. These sailings can also be combined. Norwegian Gem offers five seven-day Canada/New England cruises from New York from Sept. 9 through Oct. 12, 2013.
  8. CruiseNews
    Cruise Shipping Asia 2012 is scheduled for Oct. 17-19 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Center in Singapore. The second annual three-day conference and trade show, which focuses on the cruise industry in the Asia-Pacific region, is expected to attract attendees from across the region and the Western Hemisphere. the event includes a full conference program of panel discussions, a trade fair, business-matching program and travel agent training sessions. "We were very pleased with the level of excitement and engagement that attendees displayed over the three days of conference sessions and trade show," said Michael Kazakoff, vice president of UBM Live. "As more cruise lines commit to Asia, growth is inevitable, and forums like Cruise Shipping Asia provide an excellent platform for networking and creating business opportunities." "This first Cruise Shipping Asia was a long-awaited event for the region," said Rama Rebbapragada, chairman of Asia Cruise Association. "As the first cruise-dedicated conference in Singapore, Cruise Shipping Asia 2011 has proven to be very timely and influential in showcasing and publicizing the industry's efforts and messages in growing the Asian cruise market," said Jennifer Yap, Managing Director, Royal Caribbean Cruises (Asia) Pte Ltd. Click here to view the article
  9. CruiseNews
    ROSS SEA Exploratory voyage aboard vessel m/v "Ortelius" (formerly Marina Svetaeva) The latest most recently designed Oceanwide voyage is a unique Discovery Voyage. It is the only expedition that includes the southern Antarctic Peninsula, the rarely visited volcanic Peter I Island, the outer fringes of the pack-ice in the Amundsen Sea, Ross Sea and Macquarie Island. We will furthermore visit the landing site of Roald Amundsen, from where he gained access to the ice-shelf and finally reached the South Pole in 1911 and have the rare privilege to enter the huts of British explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott. Oceanwide offers two back-to-back Ross Sea voyages with m/v "Ortelius". The first 30-night voyage will be carried out from 16 January till 15 February, 2013. We start in Ushuaia, Argentina and end in Invercargill, New Zealand. The second expedition (in reverse) takes place from 15 February till 17 March 2013. M/v "Ortelius" is an excellent expedition vessel and has the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A) "Ortelius" is a great expedition vessel for 100 passengers with lots of open-deck spaces and a very large bridge which is accessible to the passengers. Click here to view the article
  10. CruiseNews
    ROSS SEA Exploratory voyage aboard vessel m/v "Ortelius" (formerly Marina Svetaeva) The latest most recently designed Oceanwide voyage is a unique Discovery Voyage. It is the only expedition that includes the southern Antarctic Peninsula, the rarely visited volcanic Peter I Island, the outer fringes of the pack-ice in the Amundsen Sea, Ross Sea and Macquarie Island. We will furthermore visit the landing site of Roald Amundsen, from where he gained access to the ice-shelf and finally reached the South Pole in 1911 and have the rare privilege to enter the huts of British explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott. Oceanwide offers two back-to-back Ross Sea voyages with m/v "Ortelius". The first 30-night voyage will be carried out from 16 January till 15 February, 2013. We start in Ushuaia, Argentina and end in Invercargill, New Zealand. The second expedition (in reverse) takes place from 15 February till 17 March 2013. M/v "Ortelius" is an excellent expedition vessel and has the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A) "Ortelius" is a great expedition vessel for 100 passengers with lots of open-deck spaces and a very large bridge which is accessible to the passengers.
  11. CruiseNews
    Cruise Shipping Asia 2012 is scheduled for Oct. 17-19 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Center in Singapore. The second annual three-day conference and trade show, which focuses on the cruise industry in the Asia-Pacific region, is expected to attract attendees from across the region and the Western Hemisphere. the event includes a full conference program of panel discussions, a trade fair, business-matching program and travel agent training sessions. "We were very pleased with the level of excitement and engagement that attendees displayed over the three days of conference sessions and trade show," said Michael Kazakoff, vice president of UBM Live. "As more cruise lines commit to Asia, growth is inevitable, and forums like Cruise Shipping Asia provide an excellent platform for networking and creating business opportunities." "This first Cruise Shipping Asia was a long-awaited event for the region," said Rama Rebbapragada, chairman of Asia Cruise Association. "As the first cruise-dedicated conference in Singapore, Cruise Shipping Asia 2011 has proven to be very timely and influential in showcasing and publicizing the industry's efforts and messages in growing the Asian cruise market," said Jennifer Yap, Managing Director, Royal Caribbean Cruises (Asia) Pte Ltd.
  12. CruiseNews
    Dec. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ultra-luxe Crystal Cruises has launched its complete 2013 worldwide cruise collection -- becoming the first of the luxury cruise lines to release its entire 2013 calendar and fares, as well as open all cruises for bookings. For travelers who like to plan ahead, '13 is a lucky number as "Book Now" fares offer guests the best prices for early bookings made by February 28 or June 30, 2012 (depending on cruise departure). Significant changes, such as many more shorter cruises distinguish 2013 Crystal's repertoire of 64 itineraries visiting 62 countries and 226 ports-of-call worldwide. Due to the overwhelming popularity of its Northern Europe itineraries in 2012, Crystal has opted to switch its initially scheduled vessel deployment: Crystal Serenity will summer in the Baltic, North Cape and British Isles (in addition to spring and summer Mediterranean seasons), while Crystal Symphony will spend her summer in the Mediterranean. Other new highlights include: • 16 maiden calls: Baie-Comeau and Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec; Canakkale, Turkey; Castellon de la Plana, Spain; La Spezia, Italy; Lunenburg, Nova Scotia; Natal, Brazil; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England; Santa Marta, Colombia; and Skiathos, Greece; Manta, Equador; Salaverry, Peru; Chacabuco and Cape Horn, Chile; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Langkawi, Malaysia •More shorter/7- to 10-day sailings (29 overall) -- more than 250% increase in shorter cruise offerings in Europe • 74-day World Cruise with a comprehensive focus on South America • 9-7-12-day cruise-length rotation in Europe for choice of shorter or longer back-to-back options without repeating ports, plus Saturday departures for most 7-day sailings • 98-day/eight segment Australasian Grand Cruise from Auckland to LA • Cruises beginning and ending in Reyjkavik, Bali, Brisbane, Dublin, and Kobe • 25% more port days, including cruises without any days at sea • Strategic scheduling around local events: Monte Carlo Grand Prix, Seville's La Fiera de Abril, and Tuscany's Il Palio di Siena • More than 85% of voyages with two or more days in port • Three-day, complimentary pre- or post-cruise Beijing land package with two cruises (one of which also includes three days in Shanghai) • Increase of 10-day New England/Canada itineraries • More than 50% increase in shipboard overnight stays in port on embarkation day • Antarctica for the holidays -- Crystal is absorbing the extra cost and planning efforts to meet the new environmental requirements • Returns to ports less-frequented by Crystal: Murmansk, Russia; the Shetland Islands; Izmir, Turkey; Isle of Man; Cartagena, Spain; Newcastle, Australia; Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadaloupe; General San Martin/Pisco, Peru; Pusan, Korea; Agadir, Morocco; Trogir, Croatia; Savannah and Baltimore, U.S. • 15 renowned waterways, including New Zealand's Millford, Doubtful, and Duskey Sounds; Norway's North Cape and Svartisen Glacier; Glacier Bay, Alaska; the Chilean Fjords; Halong Bay, Vietnam; the Amazon and Saguenay Rivers; and Panama Canal In all, Crystal Symphony kicks off 2013 with a super-VIP New Year's fireworks gala in Sydney, then remains in the region, exploring Australia, New Zealand and Asia prior to a European/Mediterranean-focused summer, North American fall, and Central/South American/Antarctic holiday season ending in Chile. Crystal Serenity's 2013 routing begins in the Caribbean before heading to a South American World Cruise, then Europe for most of the year before returning to the Caribbean/Central America for the holidays. Early bookings offer maximum savings on 2013 itineraries, including: • $4,000/person full World Cruise savings • $700 or $1,000/person savings for seven- to 24-day sailings • "Save Now, Save Later" -- 20% savings on 2014's World Cruise for booking the 2013 World Cruise (or segments thereof) Two-for-1 fares begin at $2,595/person, including "Book Now Savings," free round-trip air transportation (or generous air credit), airport/ship transfers, and all-inclusive amenities such as complimentary gratuities, fine wines and spirits, specialty restaurants (including the lauded cuisine of Nobu Matsuhisa), Open Dining by Reservation®, and stimulating onboard entertainment and enrichment. Crystal's passion for taking care of guests in an inviting environment of extraordinary space, quality and choices has earned the company more "World's Best" awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history. Click here to view the article
  13. CruiseNews
    New itineraries have been announced for boutique yacht cruise line Variety Cruises in addition to the launch of two new ships in 2012. The 223-foot Variety Voyager will launch in the northern hemisphere spring next year offering 36 cabins and a maximum capacity of 72 passengers. Featuring a sleek, modern design and generous deck space, 28 crew members will attend to passenger's needs during voyages from the Middle East to the Mediterranean. The new mega yacht will sail the French and Italian Mediterranean coasts as part of the 'Romantic Rivieras' itinerary in June 2012 before heading off on the 'Treasures of South Italy and Malta' voyage taking in ports including Salerno, Sicily and Capri. 'Arabian Journeys' will offer Variety Voyager passengers the chance to explore the Arabian Gulf and Omani Coast in November 2012 sailing from Abu Dhabi to Muscat. Click here to view the article
  14. CruiseNews
    MSC Cruises Australia and New Zealand capped off their 40th year with a Christmas celebration and update on their newest ship, MSC Divina. Having experienced double digit growth in the past year, MSC are expecting to continue the pattern with their annual capacity increasing to 1.5 million passengers once Divina launches on 26 May 2012. Whilst their average passenger demographic has decreased to 53 years, the demand for cruising in the Mediterranean in particular has increased. "The fact that MSC Divina will be cruising the beautiful East Mediterranean is a bonus as capacity has always been at a premium to this part of the Mediterranean," MSC Cruises Australia and New Zealand managing director Lynne Clarke said. Noting the line's flexible embarkation options as one of the many keys to their popularity with cruisers, Ms Clarke shared with guests at last night's event that it's a matter of "when" MSC will deploy a ship to Australian waters not "if". Click here to view the article
  15. CruiseNews
    The cruise ship schedule for 2012 shows Bermuda's regular visits down ten percent for the coming year, with the occasionally-visiting ships showing the sharpest drop overall.However a Ministry of Transport spokeswoman said 2012 is expected to record the second highest number of cruise ship visitors in Bermuda history.Bermuda is expected to see a total of 162 ships, bringing more than 360,000 visitors, between March 1, 2012 and the season's December 1 conclusion.Among the Island's regular, contracted ships, Holland America Line's Veendam is down the most. It will call 19 times five visits less than in 2011. The ship has cancelled its visits altogether for 2013. St George's will lose out as the Veendam, which had been dropping anchor off the East End when possible, stops in Hamilton from April 24 until August 28. The ship is scheduled to include Murray's Anchorage off the Old Town for one trip its final visit to the Island next year. However, three vessels Regatta in June, and the Quest for Adventure and Silver Whisper in October are scheduled to make port calls in St George's, at Penno's Wharf, during 2012, bringing much-needed business directly to the town.Of Bermuda's regular cruise callers, Norwegian Gem has been replaced with the equivalent-sized Norwegian Star. The Norwegian Dawn's arrivals are holding steady at 22 for the coming season. Royal Caribbean International meanwhile has boosted its numbers. Regulars Explorer of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas are scheduled to make a total of 14 extra stops.Princess Cruise Lines' Caribbean Princess will no longer be calling regularly: from seven visits to the Island this year, the 1,020-ft vessel is next year scheduled to make one October 29 stop only, at Dockyard's Heritage Wharf. The occasional callers show the sharpest drop, nearly halving from 40 to 22 mainly due to Carnival Cruise Lines curtailing its services.Carnival shows a precipitous drop: four ships called a total of 16 times this year. In 2012, Carnival Pride will make just a single early call, on April 25, to Dockyard. The Ministry spokeswoman said yesterday that the decision of Carnival to cut back on visits to Bermuda was not based on the Bermuda product, but the lack of prime berths available for their deployment requests. "Due to contractual obligations with RCCL, Celebrity and NCL, prime berths are not usually available for occasional callers wishing to arrive in Bermuda on Mondays through Friday, May through Labour Day," she said. "These are the times when cruise lines introduce higher ticket prices because it aligns with school breaks in the US, Canada and Europe. "RCCL, Celebrity and NCL all occupy these prime berths on a weekly basis, making it difficult to accommodate all of the requests the Ministry receives from other cruise lines." Because of the booking difficulties, the Ministry said that Carnival decided it would be more profitable to sail to other destinations rather than visiting Bermuda at less profitable dates and times. The Ministry las night gave a projected figure of up to 363,000 visitors for the 2012 season, nearly 30,000 lower than the estimated figure for 2011 but higher than in previous years. Click here to view the article
  16. CruiseNews
    Cruise to the Mediterranean with the renowned TV correspondent, Michael Nicholson, OBE, MA, who is the latest in a line of glittering speakers to join its Vistas cruise enrichment programme. Michael will be the guest speaker on Boudicca's 23-night cruise to the Mediterranean, departing from Portsmouth on 12th October 2012. Michael Nicholson is best known as a seasoned and highly-acclaimed foreign correspondent, reporting on wars and natural disasters the world over. He has reported from no fewer than 18 war zones during his long and illustrious career, including Nigeria, Biafra, Vietnam, Cambodia, Beirut, Israel, Cyprus, Congo, Rwanda, The Falklands, the Balkans and both Gulf Wars. Michael was ITN's first Bureau Chief in South Africa, based in Johannesburg; he reported on news from all over Africa between 1976 and 1981, then journeyed overland back to the UK with his family – a 14,000-mile journey that took six months. He has worked for Channel 4, as Washington Correspondent for the 'Morning News', and as co-presenter on its weekly current affairs programme, 'The World This Week'. He has also worked with ITN, presenting the early evening news, and acting as Chief Foreign Correspondent for 'News at Ten'. Most recently, Michael has written and presented a series of documentaries, based on his war experiences, with the title 'Nicholson Back to the Front', revisiting some of the hotspots of his career, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, the Middle East, The Falklands, Vietnam, Angola and Cyprus. Cruise guests can enjoy Michael's fascinating and informative talks in the comfort and elegance of Boudicca on this exciting Mediterranean itinerary, which visits Portimăo (Portugal), Ibiza (Spain), Valletta (Malta), Piraeus (for Athens, Greece), Çanakkale (Turkey), Istanbul (Turkey), Kusadasi (Turkey), Gozo (Malta), Mahon (Menorca) and Gibraltar, returning to Portsmouth. Prices for this cruise start from £2,179 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, Grade 'I', and include all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes. There are also 'Double Savings' available on this cruise of up to £1,000 per cabin (depending on cabin grade), if booked by 29th February 2012 inclusive, as featured in Fred. Olsen's 'Captains' Collection cruises 2012' brochure of 73 specially-selected, ex-UK cruise deals. Fred. Olsen's 'No Fuel Surcharge Guarantee' also applies on all bookings made by 31st January 2012 inclusive, for departures from 1st January 2012 onwards, so value for money is guaranteed. There is no extra charge for taking part in Vistas cruises activity. Click here to view the article
  17. CruiseNews
    Dec. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ultra-luxe Crystal Cruises has launched its complete 2013 worldwide cruise collection -- becoming the first of the luxury cruise lines to release its entire 2013 calendar and fares, as well as open all cruises for bookings. For travelers who like to plan ahead, '13 is a lucky number as "Book Now" fares offer guests the best prices for early bookings made by February 28 or June 30, 2012 (depending on cruise departure). Significant changes, such as many more shorter cruises distinguish 2013 Crystal's repertoire of 64 itineraries visiting 62 countries and 226 ports-of-call worldwide. Due to the overwhelming popularity of its Northern Europe itineraries in 2012, Crystal has opted to switch its initially scheduled vessel deployment: Crystal Serenity will summer in the Baltic, North Cape and British Isles (in addition to spring and summer Mediterranean seasons), while Crystal Symphony will spend her summer in the Mediterranean. Other new highlights include: • 16 maiden calls: Baie-Comeau and Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec; Canakkale, Turkey; Castellon de la Plana, Spain; La Spezia, Italy; Lunenburg, Nova Scotia; Natal, Brazil; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England; Santa Marta, Colombia; and Skiathos, Greece; Manta, Equador; Salaverry, Peru; Chacabuco and Cape Horn, Chile; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Langkawi, Malaysia •More shorter/7- to 10-day sailings (29 overall) -- more than 250% increase in shorter cruise offerings in Europe • 74-day World Cruise with a comprehensive focus on South America • 9-7-12-day cruise-length rotation in Europe for choice of shorter or longer back-to-back options without repeating ports, plus Saturday departures for most 7-day sailings • 98-day/eight segment Australasian Grand Cruise from Auckland to LA • Cruises beginning and ending in Reyjkavik, Bali, Brisbane, Dublin, and Kobe • 25% more port days, including cruises without any days at sea • Strategic scheduling around local events: Monte Carlo Grand Prix, Seville's La Fiera de Abril, and Tuscany's Il Palio di Siena • More than 85% of voyages with two or more days in port • Three-day, complimentary pre- or post-cruise Beijing land package with two cruises (one of which also includes three days in Shanghai) • Increase of 10-day New England/Canada itineraries • More than 50% increase in shipboard overnight stays in port on embarkation day • Antarctica for the holidays -- Crystal is absorbing the extra cost and planning efforts to meet the new environmental requirements • Returns to ports less-frequented by Crystal: Murmansk, Russia; the Shetland Islands; Izmir, Turkey; Isle of Man; Cartagena, Spain; Newcastle, Australia; Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadaloupe; General San Martin/Pisco, Peru; Pusan, Korea; Agadir, Morocco; Trogir, Croatia; Savannah and Baltimore, U.S. • 15 renowned waterways, including New Zealand's Millford, Doubtful, and Duskey Sounds; Norway's North Cape and Svartisen Glacier; Glacier Bay, Alaska; the Chilean Fjords; Halong Bay, Vietnam; the Amazon and Saguenay Rivers; and Panama Canal In all, Crystal Symphony kicks off 2013 with a super-VIP New Year's fireworks gala in Sydney, then remains in the region, exploring Australia, New Zealand and Asia prior to a European/Mediterranean-focused summer, North American fall, and Central/South American/Antarctic holiday season ending in Chile. Crystal Serenity's 2013 routing begins in the Caribbean before heading to a South American World Cruise, then Europe for most of the year before returning to the Caribbean/Central America for the holidays. Early bookings offer maximum savings on 2013 itineraries, including: • $4,000/person full World Cruise savings • $700 or $1,000/person savings for seven- to 24-day sailings • "Save Now, Save Later" -- 20% savings on 2014's World Cruise for booking the 2013 World Cruise (or segments thereof) Two-for-1 fares begin at $2,595/person, including "Book Now Savings," free round-trip air transportation (or generous air credit), airport/ship transfers, and all-inclusive amenities such as complimentary gratuities, fine wines and spirits, specialty restaurants (including the lauded cuisine of Nobu Matsuhisa), Open Dining by Reservation®, and stimulating onboard entertainment and enrichment. Crystal's passion for taking care of guests in an inviting environment of extraordinary space, quality and choices has earned the company more "World's Best" awards than any other cruise line, resort, or hotel in history.
  18. CruiseNews
    New itineraries have been announced for boutique yacht cruise line Variety Cruises in addition to the launch of two new ships in 2012. The 223-foot Variety Voyager will launch in the northern hemisphere spring next year offering 36 cabins and a maximum capacity of 72 passengers. Featuring a sleek, modern design and generous deck space, 28 crew members will attend to passenger's needs during voyages from the Middle East to the Mediterranean. The new mega yacht will sail the French and Italian Mediterranean coasts as part of the 'Romantic Rivieras' itinerary in June 2012 before heading off on the 'Treasures of South Italy and Malta' voyage taking in ports including Salerno, Sicily and Capri. 'Arabian Journeys' will offer Variety Voyager passengers the chance to explore the Arabian Gulf and Omani Coast in November 2012 sailing from Abu Dhabi to Muscat.
  19. CruiseNews
    MSC Cruises Australia and New Zealand capped off their 40th year with a Christmas celebration and update on their newest ship, MSC Divina. Having experienced double digit growth in the past year, MSC are expecting to continue the pattern with their annual capacity increasing to 1.5 million passengers once Divina launches on 26 May 2012. Whilst their average passenger demographic has decreased to 53 years, the demand for cruising in the Mediterranean in particular has increased. "The fact that MSC Divina will be cruising the beautiful East Mediterranean is a bonus as capacity has always been at a premium to this part of the Mediterranean," MSC Cruises Australia and New Zealand managing director Lynne Clarke said. Noting the line's flexible embarkation options as one of the many keys to their popularity with cruisers, Ms Clarke shared with guests at last night's event that it's a matter of "when" MSC will deploy a ship to Australian waters not "if".
  20. CruiseNews
    The cruise ship schedule for 2012 shows Bermuda's regular visits down ten percent for the coming year, with the occasionally-visiting ships showing the sharpest drop overall.However a Ministry of Transport spokeswoman said 2012 is expected to record the second highest number of cruise ship visitors in Bermuda history.Bermuda is expected to see a total of 162 ships, bringing more than 360,000 visitors, between March 1, 2012 and the season's December 1 conclusion.Among the Island's regular, contracted ships, Holland America Line's Veendam is down the most. It will call 19 times five visits less than in 2011. The ship has cancelled its visits altogether for 2013. St George's will lose out as the Veendam, which had been dropping anchor off the East End when possible, stops in Hamilton from April 24 until August 28. The ship is scheduled to include Murray's Anchorage off the Old Town for one trip its final visit to the Island next year. However, three vessels Regatta in June, and the Quest for Adventure and Silver Whisper in October are scheduled to make port calls in St George's, at Penno's Wharf, during 2012, bringing much-needed business directly to the town.Of Bermuda's regular cruise callers, Norwegian Gem has been replaced with the equivalent-sized Norwegian Star. The Norwegian Dawn's arrivals are holding steady at 22 for the coming season. Royal Caribbean International meanwhile has boosted its numbers. Regulars Explorer of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas are scheduled to make a total of 14 extra stops.Princess Cruise Lines' Caribbean Princess will no longer be calling regularly: from seven visits to the Island this year, the 1,020-ft vessel is next year scheduled to make one October 29 stop only, at Dockyard's Heritage Wharf. The occasional callers show the sharpest drop, nearly halving from 40 to 22 mainly due to Carnival Cruise Lines curtailing its services.Carnival shows a precipitous drop: four ships called a total of 16 times this year. In 2012, Carnival Pride will make just a single early call, on April 25, to Dockyard. The Ministry spokeswoman said yesterday that the decision of Carnival to cut back on visits to Bermuda was not based on the Bermuda product, but the lack of prime berths available for their deployment requests. "Due to contractual obligations with RCCL, Celebrity and NCL, prime berths are not usually available for occasional callers wishing to arrive in Bermuda on Mondays through Friday, May through Labour Day," she said. "These are the times when cruise lines introduce higher ticket prices because it aligns with school breaks in the US, Canada and Europe. "RCCL, Celebrity and NCL all occupy these prime berths on a weekly basis, making it difficult to accommodate all of the requests the Ministry receives from other cruise lines." Because of the booking difficulties, the Ministry said that Carnival decided it would be more profitable to sail to other destinations rather than visiting Bermuda at less profitable dates and times. The Ministry las night gave a projected figure of up to 363,000 visitors for the 2012 season, nearly 30,000 lower than the estimated figure for 2011 but higher than in previous years.
  21. CruiseNews
    Cruise to the Mediterranean with the renowned TV correspondent, Michael Nicholson, OBE, MA, who is the latest in a line of glittering speakers to join its Vistas cruise enrichment programme. Michael will be the guest speaker on Boudicca's 23-night cruise to the Mediterranean, departing from Portsmouth on 12th October 2012. Michael Nicholson is best known as a seasoned and highly-acclaimed foreign correspondent, reporting on wars and natural disasters the world over. He has reported from no fewer than 18 war zones during his long and illustrious career, including Nigeria, Biafra, Vietnam, Cambodia, Beirut, Israel, Cyprus, Congo, Rwanda, The Falklands, the Balkans and both Gulf Wars. Michael was ITN's first Bureau Chief in South Africa, based in Johannesburg; he reported on news from all over Africa between 1976 and 1981, then journeyed overland back to the UK with his family – a 14,000-mile journey that took six months. He has worked for Channel 4, as Washington Correspondent for the 'Morning News', and as co-presenter on its weekly current affairs programme, 'The World This Week'. He has also worked with ITN, presenting the early evening news, and acting as Chief Foreign Correspondent for 'News at Ten'. Most recently, Michael has written and presented a series of documentaries, based on his war experiences, with the title 'Nicholson Back to the Front', revisiting some of the hotspots of his career, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, the Middle East, The Falklands, Vietnam, Angola and Cyprus. Cruise guests can enjoy Michael's fascinating and informative talks in the comfort and elegance of Boudicca on this exciting Mediterranean itinerary, which visits Portimăo (Portugal), Ibiza (Spain), Valletta (Malta), Piraeus (for Athens, Greece), Çanakkale (Turkey), Istanbul (Turkey), Kusadasi (Turkey), Gozo (Malta), Mahon (Menorca) and Gibraltar, returning to Portsmouth. Prices for this cruise start from £2,179 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, Grade 'I', and include all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes. There are also 'Double Savings' available on this cruise of up to £1,000 per cabin (depending on cabin grade), if booked by 29th February 2012 inclusive, as featured in Fred. Olsen's 'Captains' Collection cruises 2012' brochure of 73 specially-selected, ex-UK cruise deals. Fred. Olsen's 'No Fuel Surcharge Guarantee' also applies on all bookings made by 31st January 2012 inclusive, for departures from 1st January 2012 onwards, so value for money is guaranteed. There is no extra charge for taking part in Vistas cruises activity.
  22. CruiseNews
    A recent move to make the Turks and Caicos Islands a wedding destination for cruise passengers by cutting the processing time for a visitor's marriage licence has started to bear fruit. Two cruise ship passengers, Jeff Douglas Wenzlick and Katherine Lee Williams, used the amended Marriage Ordinance for a November 11 wedding at the Carnival Cruise Centre on Grand Turk. The amendment in July this year removed the requirement that visitors must be present in the islands for at least 48 hours before applying for a special licence to be married. Cruise passengers could not be accommodated because their ships only remained in port for about eight hours. The Registrar General's Office said it received numerous requests from cruise passengers who wanted to be married on a TCI beach. Registrar General Sigrid Lightbourne was delighted to see the change bear fruit: "This is a very important moment for the community of Grand Turk and the TCI on a whole, as this provision allows the country to engage in a new and exciting area in the tourism industry. Our visitors can now view our beautiful by nature islands as a place where they can celebrate yet another special occasion. Even if they are only here for a few hours they would have created within the Turks and Caicos Islands memories that will last them a lifetime." This first wedding at the cruise port was solemnized by Delores Connolly, a TCI marriage officer. Section 12 (2) (b) of the Marriage Ordinance was amended by inserting, after "application" the words "but where neither of the parties has been resident in the islands for forty-eight hours, the Governor may waive the forty-eight hours residency requirement". Click here to view the article
  23. CruiseNews
    Adolfo Perez, a 29-year veteran of Carnival Cruise Lines, has been named managing director for Carnival Cruise Lines – UK. In this role, Perez will lead the line's strategic growth initiatives in the UK, overseeing all sales, marketing, reservations and trade engagement activities. "Adolfo is a seasoned travel industry professional with a passion for the cruise business, a commitment to innovation and a proven track record for success," said Lynn Torrent, Carnival's executive vice president of sales and guest services. "His outstanding leadership skills will help achieve our goal of building greater awareness and demand for the Carnival brand in the UK," she added. Previously, Perez served as Carnival's vice president of contact center sales, overseeing all individual and group reservations for the company's domestic and international markets. Within that role, he was responsible for leading multiple, wide-ranging teams in sales and marketing initiatives and customer service, employee training and development as well as the fostering of travel agent relationships. Perez first joined Carnival in 1982 as an embarkation agent and has held multiple managerial positions within the reservations sales arena over the past three decades. He holds a master's degree in business administration from Florida International University in Miami, as well as a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) designation from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (ICTA). Click here to view the article
  24. CruiseNews
    Adolfo Perez, a 29-year veteran of Carnival Cruise Lines, has been named managing director for Carnival Cruise Lines – UK. In this role, Perez will lead the line's strategic growth initiatives in the UK, overseeing all sales, marketing, reservations and trade engagement activities. "Adolfo is a seasoned travel industry professional with a passion for the cruise business, a commitment to innovation and a proven track record for success," said Lynn Torrent, Carnival's executive vice president of sales and guest services. "His outstanding leadership skills will help achieve our goal of building greater awareness and demand for the Carnival brand in the UK," she added. Previously, Perez served as Carnival's vice president of contact center sales, overseeing all individual and group reservations for the company's domestic and international markets. Within that role, he was responsible for leading multiple, wide-ranging teams in sales and marketing initiatives and customer service, employee training and development as well as the fostering of travel agent relationships. Perez first joined Carnival in 1982 as an embarkation agent and has held multiple managerial positions within the reservations sales arena over the past three decades. He holds a master's degree in business administration from Florida International University in Miami, as well as a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) designation from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (ICTA).
  25. CruiseNews
    A recent move to make the Turks and Caicos Islands a wedding destination for cruise passengers by cutting the processing time for a visitor's marriage licence has started to bear fruit. Two cruise ship passengers, Jeff Douglas Wenzlick and Katherine Lee Williams, used the amended Marriage Ordinance for a November 11 wedding at the Carnival Cruise Centre on Grand Turk. The amendment in July this year removed the requirement that visitors must be present in the islands for at least 48 hours before applying for a special licence to be married. Cruise passengers could not be accommodated because their ships only remained in port for about eight hours. The Registrar General's Office said it received numerous requests from cruise passengers who wanted to be married on a TCI beach. Registrar General Sigrid Lightbourne was delighted to see the change bear fruit: "This is a very important moment for the community of Grand Turk and the TCI on a whole, as this provision allows the country to engage in a new and exciting area in the tourism industry. Our visitors can now view our beautiful by nature islands as a place where they can celebrate yet another special occasion. Even if they are only here for a few hours they would have created within the Turks and Caicos Islands memories that will last them a lifetime." This first wedding at the cruise port was solemnized by Delores Connolly, a TCI marriage officer. Section 12 (2) (b) of the Marriage Ordinance was amended by inserting, after "application" the words "but where neither of the parties has been resident in the islands for forty-eight hours, the Governor may waive the forty-eight hours residency requirement".
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