CruiseNews

P&O Cruises has doubled its ex-UK capacity next year from one ship to two as both Oceana and Oriana sail from Southampton throughout winter 2012/13 on cruises of two to 35 nights duration. Oceana’s second year of winter cruising from Southampton includes, for the first time, two short cruises for Christmas and New Year. These cruises offer the chance to spend Boxing Day in Copenhagen or New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam, for some authentic festive celebrations whilst only being away for four or seven days. Oriana will offer seven ex-UK cruises including a 10 night Baltic cruise in December calling in popular Christmas market destinations such as Copenhagen and Hamburg; and a 12 night Canary Islands cruise in late January to ports including Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Casablanca. P&O Cruises managing director, Carol Marlow, said: “P&O Cruises already offers the greatest choice of ex-UK cruises and next winter will have 39 roundtrip cruises from Southampton from October to April. A growing number of people are keen to holiday in the winter, but don’t necessarily want to fly, so this additional range of cruises from Southampton will increase their options sill further. Convenience is a key booking factor for our passengers, with travelling to Southampton so easy – and then their holiday starts right away.” This is in addition to the four winter world cruises from January to April 2012, from and to Southampton, including Azura’s maiden world cruise. Click here to view the article

Australia’s liner, the Athena, will be the first-ever cruise ship to visit the Victorian town of Portland – Australia’s newest cruise destination - as part of Classic International Cruises’ newly-released 2012/13 summer cruise program, which will also feature a return season in Adelaide, the cruise line’s first Easter cruise in Australia and a new rock’n’roll cruise. Athena’s inaugural visit to Portland in western Victoria on February 5, 2013, will form part of a new five-night round-trip itinerary from Adelaide which also includes visits to Melbourne and the South Australian town of Robe where the 550-pasenger Athena will be only the second cruise ship to anchor off the Limestone Coast town, following a call by the smaller 106-passenger Orion in November, 2010. The oldest European settlement in Victoria and once home to Australia’s first saint, Mary Mackillop, Portland is close to the historic fishing village of Port Fairy and famous Twelve Apostles along the Great Ocean Road. And Robe is close to the World Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves. A new brochure for Athena’s 2012/13 Australian summer season has been released, with Classic International Cruises to offer 17 cruises lasting from two to 40 nights to and from Fremantle/Perth and from Adelaide. Extending more than six months from November, 2012, to May, 2013, the 2012/13 program will be Classic International Cruises’ ninth successive season in Australia’s west. Fares start from $470 per person for two nights with children under 18 cruising for free on nine selected cruises, with only nominal taxes to pay. And supplements for solo travellers in selected cabins are as low as 25 percent, instead of double. The currency onboard Athena is Australian dollars. Athena’s 2012/13 will also feature: - A return season from Adelaide, with Athena offering five cruises to and from the SA capital, including round-trip itineraries to destinations such as Tasmania, Victoria, Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln and Robe. The 12/13 season will be Athena’s fourth series of cruises from the South Australian capital after the success of Athena’s seasons there in 2008/09, 09/10 and the coming 11/12 program in Adelaide. - CIC’s first Easter cruise from Australia – a five-night holiday from Fremantle to the spectacular beaches of Esperance and Albany, sailing Easter Thursday, March 28, 2013. Fares from $1095 per person. - A special four-night rock’n’roll music cruise, sailing from Fremantle on April 2, 2013, to Albany and Bunbury – fares from $795 per person - Maiden visits by Athena to Kagoshima in Japan, Keelung in Taiwan, Busan in South Korea and Manila in The Philippines as part of a 38-night Far East voyage from Fremantle on February 18, 2013. The cruise, which includes 12 Asian ports as well as Christmas Island, is available from $5995 pp - Maiden calls by Athena to Dubai, Livorno (Florence) in Italy, Kotor in Montenegro, Durres in Albania and Muscat in Oman as part of two traditional line-voyages between Athena’s s home in Europe for the northern summer and her Australian summer base in Australia - Christmas and January holiday cruises to Bali, Lombok and Broome “Athena’s 2012/13 from Australia underscores our ongoing commitment to the growing Australian cruise market, particularly in Western Australia and South Australia,” said Classic International Cruises Managing Director for Australia, Grant Hunter. “This coming summer and in 2012/13 we will again offer our successful formula of traditional cruising on a real ocean liner, affordable fares, attractive itineraries, fine cuisine, friendly and personal service and a warm and relaxed atmosphere that you only get on a smaller vessel,” Mr Hunter said. The classic-styled, 16,000-ton Athena features traditional wooden deck chairs, pool, fitness centre, five bars and lounges, casino, library, cinema and two restaurants. Athena has 276 spacious cabins and each boasts a bath – a luxury only found in suites on the latest superliners. Click here to view the article

Carnival Liberty – the first ship to undergo the initial phase of Carnival Cruise Lines’ ambitious $500 million Fun Ship 2.0 enhancement initiative – re-entered service this weekend following an extensive two-week dry dock that added a host of new dining, bar and entertainment choices. Fun Ship 2.0 is a multi-year effort designed to dramatically transform the Carnival vacation experience through innovative partnerships and new branded spaces. The first phase extends through the end of 2015 with 16 ships scheduled to receive the various Fun Ship 2.0 enhancements. New features on the Carnival Liberty include: Guy’s Burger Joint, a new free casual dining venue developed in partnership with Food Network personality and restaurateur Guy Fieri offering delicious hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries in a fun atmosphere that celebrates his California roots and love of car culture. RedFrog Rum Bar, a poolside version of the line’s popular RedFrog Pub that debuted on Carnival Magic offering a quintessential Caribbean vacation vibe. BlueIguana Tequila Bar, featuring a laid-back Mexican-themed atmosphere and a variety of tequila-based frozen drinks and beers. BlueIguana Cantina, a casual eatery that evokes the feel of a fun, relaxed Mexican beachside dining spot serving authentic tacos and burritos. EA SPORTS Bar, created in tandem with the leading sports videogame brand where guests can catch the latest action and play popular EA SPORTS video games on a 16-screen video wall. Alchemy Bar, a vintage-themed cocktail “pharmacy” with imaginative cocktails and a wide array of ingredients. A revamped nightclub experience with DJs trained by celebrity song master DJ IRIE, Carnival’s official DJ who created DJ IRIE’s Spin’iversity, the first DJ academy at sea. In addition to the Fun Ship 2.0 features, Carnival Liberty’s dry dock also included new carpeting, tile work, wall coverings and furniture, as well as other cosmetic upgrades and routine maintenance. A Serenity adults-only retreat was also added and offers colorful umbrellas, comfortable chaise lounges and chairs and oversized whirlpools.Additional enhancements included in the first phase of Fun Ship 2.0 will be introduced on several other ships next year. These include a partnership with comedian George Lopez who has been named Carnival’s “creative director for comedy” and will evaluate talent for its fleetwide comedy venues, which will be called The Punchliner Comedy Clubs Presented by George Lopez; Hasbro, the Game Show, with larger-than-life stage adaptations of the brand’s popular and iconic board games; and Playlist Productions, which combines electrifying live performances with high-tech LED special effects to set a new standard in seagoing productions. Carnival Liberty operates year-round seven-day cruises from Miami, alternating weekly to the eastern and western Caribbean. Eastern Caribbean cruises include the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas/St. John, San Juan and Grand Turk while the western route features Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios or Cozumel, Belize, Mahogany Bay – Roatan, and Grand Cayman. Additional information on the Fun Ship 2.0 initiative is available at www.carnival.com/funship2. Click here to view the article

More cruise industry heavyweights sign up to speak at niche event in Istanbul, as Turkey focuses on growing its share of the global cruise market. Graeme Adams, VP - Voyage Planning, Port & Land Programmes, SeaDream Yacht Club, Captain Vassilios Gazikas, Senior General Manager, Marine Operations, Louis Cruises and Giora Israel, Senior Vice President Port & Destination Development, Carnival Corporation have recently been added to the prestigious speaker line-up at the 2nd Seatrade Winter Cruising Forum, being held in less than seven weeks in Istanbul, Turkey. The event's conference will feature a timely focus on Turkey as a cruise tourism hub linking Europe to Asia. Turkey recently demonstrated a strong commitment to its relationship with the industry, with the Minister of Transport, Binali Yıldırım, attending a meeting in Izmir with the heads of fourteen Turkish cruise ports to discuss the continued development of cruise tourism in the country. Port authority delegates at the meeting, organised by Izmir's Chamber of Commerce, supported a proposal to form a ports association. With higher fuel costs making it less economical to transport passengers to Caribbean cruise ports, the number of cruise ships plying Mediterranean waters in both summer and winter months over the next few years is likely to surge. The concept of winter cruising is not without challenges; sound itinerary planning and weather-proof shorex options are essential, but as more vessels are deployed out of traditional summer seasons, there is great scope for growth. Numerous high-level itinerary planners and marine operations decision-makers are already scheduled to speak in Istanbul, with the recently announced additions bringing the total of cruise brands represented to thirteen. The event's workshop sessions will give participating destinations an invaluable chance to meet one-to-one with speakers hosting workshop tables, all of whom are directly involved in deployment decisions for their brand. The 2nd Seatrade Winter Cruising Forum will take place under the auspices of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Tura Turizm at the Çıragan Palace Kempinski from 5-7 December 2011. More information on the event can be found at www.wintercruisingforum.com. Click here to view the article

Some cruise lines had to reconfigure itineraries this week as city workers in Athens went on strike, with a threat of further protests next week. Meanwhile, stormy weather in the Caribbean caused lines to miss calls in Grand Cayman and elsewhere.The Greek strikes, to protest new government austerity measures, caused Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas to flip ports of call, with the ship visiting Rhodes yesterday and Athens (Piraeus) today. The Celebrity Constellation called at Athens today as scheduled. Oceania Cruises sent its Insigna to tiny Patmos rather than Rhodes. But sister line Regent Seven Seas Cruises was able to sail its Seven Seas Voyager from Piraeus without incident. "At Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises the safety of our guests and crew is our top priority. We are constantly monitoring the situation in Greece and making adjustments as needed," said spokesman Gary Gerbino. MSC Cruises replaced a call at Piraeus with a visit to Heraklion (Crete) on Thursday. The MSC Melody also altered its itineraries to visit Heraklion this week and Athens next Monday. A spokeswoman said the moves were "due to current events in Athens and to assure passengers' full safety and comfort." Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, inclement weather caused Carnival to change itineraries for five ships. On a six-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale, the Carnival Freedom skipped Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and instead visited Montego Bay, Jamaica, and was calling at Key West twice. The Carnival Imagination skipped Key West and Cozumel and instead did an overnight in Nassau and was calling today at Freeport, on a four-night cruise from Miami. The Carnival Inspiration, from Tampa, skipped Grand Cayman in favor of an overnight in Cozumel, on a five-night cruise. Passengers on the Carnival Ecstasy's five-night cruise from New Orleans, meanwhile, missed a call at Progresso, Mexico, spending an extra day at sea. The Carnival Conquest out of Galveston and Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas from Port Canaveral also both missed Grand Cayman on their weeklong Western Caribbean itineraries, instead spending yesterday at sea. A Royal Caribbean spokeswoman said the weather made it "unsafe to tender." Click here to view the article

MOBILE, Alabama -- When Carnival’s Elation leaves the Alabama Cruise Terminal today, on the way to its new home in New Orleans, it will leave in its wake an economic impact in the millions of dollars. The most obvious victim is the city of Mobile. The city owns the cruise terminal and uses proceeds from passenger parking to pay $2 million a year in debt service. Hotels will also feel an immediate impact. Cruise passengers booked 15,000 room nights a year, according to tourism officials. Some passengers and crew members also ate at restaurants, shopped at stores and visited attractions in Mobile, but how much money they spent is harder to know. Elation will head to New Orleans, where it replaces a sister ship, Ecstasy, that Carnival will move to Port Canaveral on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. Carnival announced in March that it would leave the Mobile market, saying fuel costs for Gulf of Mexico cruises were more expensive than for Caribbean cruises and that trips from Mobile commanded below-average rates compared to other Gulf ports. Alabama Real Estate Holdings, an arm of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, borrowed $20 million to build the cruise terminal south of downtown Mobile in 2004 after Carnival announced it would home port a ship here. In 2008, the city borrowed $18.6 million to buy the terminal, then the next year paid $2.6 million to build a new gangway for the terminal to allow a larger ship to dock there. Last year it paid $970,000 for a pie-shaped parcel of land, about the size of a football field, at the corner of Government and Water streets for overflow parking from cruises. City spokeswoman Barbara Drummond said the city will slash operating costs at the terminal when the cruise ship leaves, only spending as much as necessary to maintain the facility. Mobile Mayor Sam Jones has lobbied other cruise companies to use the terminal, but so far has had no success. Drummond said that until another cruise ship comes to Mobile, the city may try to lease parking space to downtown businesses or use it for big events like Mardi Gras. Parking revenue from the past year will cover the debt payment this fiscal year, she said. But if the city can’t find new revenue streams from the terminal before next October, she said, it will have to dip into its general fund to pay off the building. "It’s 2013 when we’ll be impacted financially," she said. The impact will be more sudden for area hotels. David Randel, president of the Mobile Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, said 15 hotels offer a stay-and-cruise package that lets customers leave their cars at the hotel during the cruise provided they stay the night before. The package gets about 15,000 takers a year, he said, and it was gaining in popularity. "That’s what personally hurts me the most," he said. "People were coming in a day early and starting to enjoy this great city." Randel said many of the 900 crew members on board the ship also ventured into the city on the five-hour breaks they had between trips. Most of them took a bus out to Bel Air Mall, he said. "They’d come back filled with packages," he said. David Rasp, who owns the Royal Scam, the restaurant closest to the Cruise Terminal, said cruise customers had only a modest impact on his business. "I’m not saying it’s not going to have an effect," he said of the cruise ship departing, "I just don’t know how measurable it’s going to be." The impact on other local attractions is similarly murky. According to data from University of South Alabama economics professor Semoon Chang, attendance is up by nearly 3,000 a month at the Gulf Coast Exploreum since Carnival arrived in October 2004, but it has dropped at both the USS Alabama Battleship Park and at Bellingrath Gardens. Gretchen Faust Jaspering, who took over as executive director at the Exploreum earlier this month, said she hadn’t been there long enough to have a definitive view on the cruise ship’s impact. She did note, though, that when the Exploreum opened its Kangaroo Kraze exhibit last week, a few of the cruise ship employees decided to check it out. "A couple of Australian dancers came over to get a taste of their home," she said. Click here to view the article

His title sounds daunting, but Doug Santoni, senior vice president of strategic planning and continuous improvement at Royal Caribbean Cruises, seems to have both feet planted solidly on terra firma. He and his team work mainly for the Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises brands. The strategic planning horizon is five to 10 years, going significantly beyond the operational planning horizon, he said. "We are concentrating on the financial metrics we want to deliver, and it involves nearly every part of the company." Santoni was named to this new position in August 2010. This was part of an organizational change designed to improve the company's effectiveness and to better realize its strategic goals. He provided an example: "A few years ago, the company made the strategic decision to grow outside of North America and, as you can see, we have done just that. We are not far from sourcing more than 50 percent of our business outside of North America. Our corporate metrics and key performance indicators are tied to our long-term strategy." Deployment and itinerary planning for two of the largest North American brands is also among Santoni's responsibilities. While the functions are different, they are interlinked, according to Santoni, who said: "We do not try to silo these functions. People who have process experiences can help with the deployment planning and speed up the time it takes to go from itinerary planning into our system." As for continuous improvement, Santoni said he and his eight-person team focus both on functional areas and ensuring that the concept is a corporate mantra. "We strive for continuous improvement in everything we do," he explained. "It is a cornerstone of our corporate culture. We look at better ways to do things whether with procedures or technology. Our group is just the enabler," he continued. "We work with the other departments to implement initiatives." "We are focused on revenue opportunities, improved efficiencies and cost reductions," Santoni said. As for whether ships can drive revenue and cost initiatives too hard, he answered: "The ships live and die by their ratings on every cruise. The bottom line is guest satisfaction." Click here to view the article

The new Princess Cruises' ships will each have a 52 MW powerplant, consisting of two 12-cylinder and two 14-cylinder Wartsila F series engines. The engines will feature dual pumps to optimize fuel consumption, according to John Gunner, senior vice president of technical operations. With a hydro-dynamically improved hull form, the required propulsion power to run the 147,000-ton ships at 22 to 24 knots will be the in same range as for the previous generation of 116,000-ton ships. That is a significant efficiency gain, especially on a per passenger basis. Propulsion will be via two shaft lines with water lubricated stern tubes. Gunner said: "In principle, the pods are more fuel efficient. But there are trade-offs both inside the ship in terms of configuration and outside on the hull form. We believe that the shaft lines provide the best solution for us and in terms of longevity. "The seawater lubricated shaft requires much less maintenance than pods. It is a question of optimizing what you want to accomplish with the ship." The cruise line is also testing a sophisticated monitoring system to get a detailed understanding of the different power consumers onboard. Princess pioneered shorepower and today has 10 ships equipped to plug into so-called alternative marine power. "When we consider new technology, we take energy conservation and fuel savings into account," Gunner said. "We prepare a mathematical model before we do any practical testing. If the numbers add up, we may test new equipment on one engine, for example, or on one ship. Pending the outcome, we may later decide to roll it out to the entire fleet. We are always looking for new solutions. Small innovations can have significant effects when applied to a fleet of 20 ships." Click here to view the article

In a major boost for the tourism industry, the world’s largest cruise line – Carnival Cruise Lines – has announced that it will base one of its cruise ships fulltime in Australia. The 88,500 tonne Carnival Spirit will be the largest cruise ship ever to sail year round from Australia when she arrives in Sydney in October 2012 to operate a schedule of 8-12 day voyages to the Pacific Islands. The move – announced globally in Sydney today – represents the first time Carnival Cruise Lines has ever ventured into Australian waters and reflects growing confidence in cruising in the region. Carrying 2,667 passengers, Carnival Spirit will be the first ship to be based in Sydney year round that is too tall to sail under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Rising nearly 53 metres above the waterline, Carnival Spirit is more than three metres taller than the specified clearance height for ships passing under the Bridge. Because of its height, Carnival Spirit will be based at the only cruise facility east of the Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay’s Overseas Passenger Terminal. Founded in 1972 and based in Miami, Carnival Cruise Lines is the best known cruise brand in North America and is expected to carry more than four million passengers this year – the most in the global cruise industry. As the largest cruise ship sailing from Australia year round, Carnival Spirit offers a wide range of onboard facilities and features, with approximately two-thirds of its cabins featuring private balconies – the most of any Australian-based ship. Aimed at fun-loving Australians seeking vibrant, active holidays with a broad diversity of on-board choices, Carnival Spirit offers a host of areas for outdoor fun, including a 22 metre corkscrew water slide, four swimming pools, a miniature golf course, jogging track and a sport court. Guests have their choice of 16 lounges and bars, including a 1,170-seat three-deck-high theatre. In addition to a two-level main dining room, Carnival Spirit features a reservations-only steakhouse and an expansive casual poolside restaurant. The ship also houses a two-level health spa with wrap-around ocean views and an Internet café. Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia, which represents Carnival Cruise Lines’ Australian deployment locally, said the cruise line’s move into Australia was testament to both the recent growth and the ongoing potential of the local cruise industry. “Cruising is booming in this country because it offers passengers a great value holiday that includes accommodation, top quality food and loads of entertainment that appeal to all age groups,” Ms Sherry said. Gerry Cahill, Carnival Cruise Lines’ President and CEO, said the cruise line was looking forward to introducing its unique style of cruising to the Australian market. “Carnival has become the most popular cruise choice among North Americans by offering an experience that is casual, friendly and fun with a wide variety of activities for guests of all ages, including a huge array of options on our expansive outdoor decks,” Mr Cahill said. Carnival Spirit will offer a year round schedule of 8 to 12-day cruises to the Pacific Islands and a selection of 13-day sailings to New Zealand beginning October 25, 2012, with the program expected to go on sale by the middle of this year. The shipboard experience will be tailored to the Australian market with onboard spending in Australian dollars and no tipping required. Ms Sherry said while the primary market would be Australians and New Zealanders, Carnival’s strong brand recognition in the United States would play a role in attracting more US tourists to Australia. Carnival Spirit’s deployment meant there would be seven Carnival Corporation & plc ships cruising fulltime from Australia by the end of 2012, ensuring the industry was well on its way to reaching its target of one million passengers by 2020, if not sooner, she said. Other Carnival Corporation & plc brands operating fulltime in Australia include P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises. “It is amazing growth considering there were just two ships based in Australia year round in 2007,” Ms Sherry said. “This really underscores Sydney’s position on the world cruise map and our resolve to keep growing the market with multiple brands that appeal to customers.” For more information visit www.CarnivalCruise.com.au. Click here to view the article

(12:35 p.m. EDT) -- Bad weather in the Caribbean has forced Carnival to alter itineraries for five ships this week. While Carnival cruisers are adapting to new ports and schedules, NCL reports that it has not made adjustments to any Caribbean cruises. Royal Caribbean canceled one port call today. Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen told x that the changes are due to "a spate of really horrible weather in the Caribbean." For example, several ships could not call in Grand Cayman yesterday or today because tenders couldn't operate in the rough seas. But there's no need to get worried about hurricanes yet. According to the National Hurricane Center, "cloudiness and showers have increased in the Western Caribbean Sea" but the system has about a 10 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next few days. Here's a list of the impacted ships and their revised itineraries: Carnival Freedom: The ship departed Fort Lauderdale on Sunday for a six-night cruise. Instead of calling at Grand Cayman on Wednesday and Ocho Rios on Thursday, the ship instead visited Montego Bay yesterday, with a sea day today followed by a call in Key West tomorrow. Carnival Imagination: The ship departed Miami on Monday for a four-night cruise. Instead of calling in Key West Tuesday and Cozumel Wednesday, the ship sailed for the Bahamas, with an overnight in Nassau on Tuesday and a visit to Freeport on Thursday. Carnival Inspiration: The ship departed Tampa on Monday for a five-night cruise. Instead of calling in Grand Cayman Wednesday and Cozumel Thursday, the ship overnighted in Cozumel on Wednesday for a two-day call. Carnival Ecstasy: The ship departed New Orleans on Monday for a five-night cruise. The planned call on Progreso on Wednesday was replaced with a sea day. Carnival Conquest: The ship departed Galveston on Sunday for a seven-night cruise. The planned call on Grand Cayman today was replaced with a sea day. Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas was also forced to miss Grand Cayman today and spent the day at sea instead. NCL's Norwegian Pearl did call in Grand Cayman, an NCL spokeswoman told us, but instead of tendering to Georgetown, the ship was sent to Spotts Bay on the south side of the island. --by Erica Silverstein, Features Editor Click here to view the article

After 171 years of registering its ships in the United Kingdom, Cunard Line announced today that it is re-flagging its entire fleet -- Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth -- in Bermuda. Starting at the end of this month, Hamilton' (instead of 'Southampton') will be emblazoned across the stern of each ship. While there are various reasons for changing the fleet's registry, today's press statement highlighted only the positive -- the fact that Cunard will now be able to offer weddings at sea, fulfilling pent-up demand for couples to tie the knot at a captain-officiated ceremony in the middle of the Atlantic. Ships flagged in the U.K. are not allowed to offer this service: Under U.K. law, couples can be married on a ship but only when it's in port and only by a minister or other notary. Cunard is at a competitive disadvantage in the lucrative romance market; its sister lines, P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises, as well as the ships of rival Celebrity Cruises are flagged in Bermuda or Malta, allowing them to offer wedding ceremonies at sea. However, economic reasons most likely also played a part in Cunard's move. Britain's new Equality Act 2010 means that workers from EU countries employed on British-registered ships must be paid wages equal to those of British citizens. While many lines favour Filipino and Indian crew, Cunard employs a lot of dining room waiters and bartenders from Eastern Europe and its increased wage bill no doubt played a part in this decision. Cunard's three Queens will still use Southampton as their home base, and because they're being registered in Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory, they'll still fly the Red Ensign. The 'Weddings at Sea' programme will kick in after the ships have completed their world cruises early in 2012 and will go on sale this December. --by Sue Bryant, x Contributing Editor Click here to view the article

An significant construction milestone occurred today when the keel for the new Royal Princess was laid in the building dock at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. As the keel -- the bottom most part of the ship – was ceremoniously lowered into position, Princess Cruises and shipyard officials marked the occasion with a celebration and countdown to the ship’s debut in spring 2013. Following a traditional blessing by a priest, the ship’s keel - which weighs approximately 500 tons - was moved into position by a huge crane onto the keel blocks. The computer-guided maneuver took only minutes, belying the more than 2 million man hours that will ultimately go into building the vessel. The 3,600-passenger, 141,000-ton ship will remain in the building dock until its float-out. Royal Princess will launch in spring 2013. “It’s always very exciting to mark this step in a ship’s construction, when several of the pre-built sections come together to form a new addition to our fleet, especially with a prototype design,” said Alan Buckelew, president and CEO of Princess Cruises who traveled to Italy for the ceremony. He explained that Royal Princess’ evolutionary design will feature some exciting new elements and expanded spaces, while featuring the classic profile and features passengers have come to associate with Princess. Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri said "The keel laying in the building dock marks a fundamental step in the construction of “Royal Princess”, an innovative prototype ship for one of the most prestigious brands of Carnival Corporation , the world cruise leader, for which Fincantieri built many vessels in the past.We are particularly proud and strongly believe that Fincantieri will build the most beautiful ship in the world". One of the most dramatic new design elements of Royal Princess is an over-water SeaWalk – a glass-bottomed enclosed walkway extending more than 20 feet beyond the edge of the vessel. From here passengers will enjoy dramatic views off the side of the ship and to the sea below. On the ship’s opposite side, an over-water SeaView bar will also extend over the waves to provide cocktails and unbeatable vistas. On her top decks, Royal Princess will feature a new adults-only pool surrounded by seven plush private cabanas that appear to be floating on the water. Two additional pools will flank a tropical island that will offer pool seating by day, and by night will become an outdoor dance club, complete with a dazzling water and light show. Princess’ signature adults-only haven, The Sanctuary, will be expanded both in size and amenities. The popular poolside theater, Movies Under the Stars, will play a starring role mid-ship with an expanded size and high-definition viewing. Royal Princess will feature an expanded version of the company’s signature Piazza – the ship’s central atrium incorporating a myriad of dining, entertainment and retail experiences. And each of the vessel’s outside cabins will include a balcony, meaning 80 percent of all staterooms will offer this popular feature. Click here to view the article

There were 22 ships on the orderbooks at press time, including options and memoranda of agreement, for deliveries from 2012 through 2016. While all the new ships are trending larger, they are not going anywhere near the size of the Oasis class. Instead, Royal Caribbean International's new so-called Sunshine class is the largest among the next generation of ships at 158,000 tons with a double-occupancy passenger capacity of 4,100. They are slated for deliveries in 2014 and 2015. The latest single-ship orders have come from TUI Cruises and Compagnie du Ponant, and before that from Carnival Corporation for two ships for AIDA Cruises, going to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and one for Costa Crociere, going to Fincantieri. According to Carnival, the delivery of the Costa ship in 2014 is expected to replace capacity from the sale of certain older ships beginning with the sale of the Marina, which will be leaving the fleet in November. AIDA, meanwhile, is making a giant step, breaking with its medium-sized ship tradition, which has been its trademark. The German brand is jumping from its current series of newbuildings at 71,000 tons and 2,174 double occupancy passengers to 125,000 tons and 3,250 passengers. But that is not all. AIDA is also abandoning its long-time German building partner in favor of Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Company executives would not comment on the change in strategy, but pricing may have something to do with it as the published construction cost for the new ships are approximately 140,000 euro or $200,000 per berth (at exchange rates at press time) compared to $265,000 for its current newbuildings in Germany. At present there is more cruise-ship building capacity than there is demand. Fincantieri has the lion's share of orders, but still more capacity, according to company executives. Meyer Werft also has a solid orderbook, which industry sources suggest is partially due to Germany being able to offer better export financing with its stronger economy. The new ship orders from Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean went to Meyer. Meanwhile, STX France is completing one ship for MSC Cruises, the MSC Divina, which is on schedule for May 2012 delivery, and the Europa 2, which will be operated by Hapag-Lloyd. Delivery is slated for 2013. In addition, the yard is completing the ship ordered by Libyan owner, although that contract was cancelled. Instead, STX France is negotiating a sale to a new owner. STX Finland has one cruise ship for TUI, plus an option, on its orderbook. Carnival Chairman and CEO Micky Arison has stated several times that the company intends to build two to three ships per year going forward. Royal Caribbean Cruises' chairman and CEO Richard Fain has indicated that future buildings would be at a slower pace. MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line have also built regularly, and Norwegian has two ships on order. In addition will be the occasional orders from premium and luxury lines. What it boils down to is a future near-term building pace of six to eight ships per year. Click here to view the article