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Some Picture(s) Courtesy of
Their Respective Cruise Line or Company
Cruising Looks Good 12/0702
Cruise Lines
International Association (CLIA) just released a study revealing that
more than 2 million North American vacationers cruised during the
third quarter of 2002, continuing the cruise industry’s record-setting
pace for the year.
The number reflects a 17 percent increase (294,000
passengers) over the same period last year. CLIA-member lines also
reported an average industry occupancy level of 97.9 percent during
the third quarter 2002.
For the first three quarters of 2002, the number of
North American cruise passengers sailing on CLIA member lines is up
9.5 percent over the same period last year, for a total of 5.56
million cruisers, and on a worldwide basis, 6.43 million guests sailed
on CLIA-member cruise lines – an increase of 11.33 percent over the
previous year.
“The third quarter figures illustrate the continuing
strong demand for cruise vacations,” says Mark Conroy, CLIA chairman
and president of Radisson Seven Seas Cruises. “The industry is on
course to carry 7.4 million cruisers by the end of the year, easily
surpassing last year’s 6.9 million.”
“What has made these results even more remarkable is
that the cruise industry has sustained its vigorous growth during
times of economic uncertainty,” says Conroy. “This is a testimonial to
the excellent job that CLIA-affiliated travel agents have done to
communicate the exceptional value, hassle-free quality, safety and
excitement of a cruise vacation, as well as the industry’s aggressive
marketing efforts, including positioning ships to sail from more ports
within driving distance of more people.”
“Considering the capacity of new ships expected to
enter the market through the end of the year, traditional travel
patterns and booking volume reported by CLIA-member lines, we feel
confident that 2002 will be a record-setting year,” says Bob Sharak,
CLIA’s executive director.
Since 1981, cruise passenger growth has increased an
average of 8.4 percent annually, keeping pace with the annual average
capacity growth of 7.6 percent. Based on current available
information, capacity under contract or planned is expected to
increase at an average rate of 7.9 percent over the next five years.
For more, check out
www.cruising.org.
Amadeus,
Amadeus 12/06/02
A new river
cruise company is on the scene in Europe. Launched by Rudi Schreiner,
the former President of Viking River Cruises Inc., Amadeus Waterways
will begin sailing in 2003. According to Schreiner, his new line will
primarily focus on the English speaking market.
The line’s only vessel to date -- Amadeus Symphony --
will accommodate 146 passengers in 73 outside cabins. Public areas
consist of a Grand Panorama Lounge for daily onboard activities during
the cruise such as presentations, lectures or wine tasting, after-dinner
musical and folkloric performances or dance lessons, followed by nightly
piano music and dancing. An intimate Club Lounge, boasting “comfortable”
leather sofas and a bar will seat up to 45 guests. The Sun Deck will
offer early morning exercise activities, a 100-meter walking track,
pool, and Lido bar. The open single-seating dining room will house a
“hot station” with buffet breakfast and gourmet cuisine along with
selected local wines with every dinner. The new river vessel will have a
beauty salon, manicure and pedicure, souvenir shop, and a fitness center
as well
.
Four different itineraries are planned for 2003,
including a seven-night Holland and Belgium itinerary during Tulip time,
a Rhine and Moselle cruise with Munich, a 14-night Grand Cruise from
Amsterdam to Budapest, and a seven-night Danube cruise with two nights
in Prague.
The line’s web site is
www.amadeuswaterways.com.
QM2
Joins Olympics 12/05/02
It's official! Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 – set to
debut in January 2004 – will be positioned in the Greek port of Piraeus
to serve as a floating hotel for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The new
1,310-ship will arrive in Piraeus on August 12, 2004, and remain docked
there through August 30.
The charter agreement was signed yesterday in Athens by
Deborah Natansohn, senior vice president of sales and marketing for
Cunard Line; by Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, president of the Athens
Organizing Committee (ATHOC); and by John Casulli, president of
Athens-based InterMed Travel Consultants, who brought the two parties
together.
According to Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, "The presence of
Queen Mary 2, the most modern and technologically advanced cruise ship
in the world, will not only contribute significant deluxe accommodation
to the Hospitality Program of Athens 2004, but will also add special
glamour to the port of Piraeus."
ATHOC reports that a total of 11 cruise ships will host
up to 13,000 visitors in the port of Piraeus for the 2004 Olympic Games.
Cunard Line is revising its itineraries to offer
Mediterranean cruises aboard Queen Mary 2 between Southampton, England,
and Piraeus before and after the Olympic Games.
In other Cunard news. . .
The line is saying au revoir to its other queen, the
Queen Elizabeth 2, with discounts on its farewell transatlantic season.
Cunard is offering savings of up to 60 percent on the May 10, May 26 and
June 1 crossings. Fares start at $1,649 per person, double occupancy,
and include free one-way air between London and the U.S. and a $150 per
cabin shipboard credit. Call your travel agent or 1-800-7-CUNARD or
visit
www.cunard.com.
Celebrity Changes Caterer
12/04/02
Celebrity Cruises has entered a
new three-year concession agreement with Apollo Ship Chandlers,
replacing its former catering partnership arrangement.
Under the new agreement, Apollo will handle food and
beverage purchasing, sourcing of crew, warehousing and logistics
coordination for Celebrity. Most shipboard colleagues who were formerly
Celebrity Catering Services Partnership employees are now employees of
Celebrity Cruises.
Does this mean changes in Celebrity’s cuisine?
"Our new agreement will bring no major changes in terms of
the guest experience; in fact, with the expertise and highly skilled
personnel remaining, Celebrity will continue to provide an outstanding
culinary product, with constant innovation and some new tastes of
luxury," said Celebrity's Senior Vice President of Fleet Operations,
Dietmar Wertanzl. "We are thrilled about this new relationship with our
colleagues at Apollo, who, with Master Chef Michel Roux, have done an
incredible job of placing Celebrity at the forefront of the culinary
arena," he said.
Master Chef Michel Roux, culinary and wine consultant
for Celebrity since its inception, will continue to design, evaluate and
revise Celebrity's menus and wine lists fleetwide, oversee executive
chef training and make periodic quality control inspections onboard
Celebrity ships, according to the line.
Cajun Cuisine Heats
up Coral Princess 11/03/02
Move over
Brittany Spears! When Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess debuts next month
it will unveil the first New Orleans-style restaurant at sea.
Open for lunch and dinner, the Bayou Café will serve-up traditional
Cajun- and Creole-influenced dishes as well as live jazz music in a
lively, casual French Quarter-like eatery for $10 a person, according to
the line. Delicacies include peel-and-eat shrimp, alligator ribs, gumbos
and chorizo jambalaya with fresh seafood and traditional dried spice
mixes. Plenty of Bourbon Street-style drinks selections, including
Hurricanes, Plantation Punch, Cajun Coladas, and Blue Bayous will also
be available.
“Our food and beverage team have pulled out all the
stops to create a little piece of New Orleans aboard Coral Princess,”
said Dean Brown, Princess’ executive vice president of customer service
and sales. “The Bayou Café is a totally unique addition to the Personal
Choice line-up, giving Princess passengers yet another
out-of-the-ordinary dining option.”
Corn meal fried catfish, blackened chicken
brochette, smothered filet of beef, and red pepper butter broiled
lobster are some other Cajun-grilled choices.
For dessert -- buttermilk bread pudding, sweet potato
pie, chocolate pecan fudge cake, fried yellow peach pie, and banana
whiskey pound cake all sound scrumptious.
Pay Attention During
Lifeboat Drills 12/02/02
One of the
requirements that all passengers sailing on cruises must adhere to is a
mandatory lifeboat drill before the ship sets sail. The hope of many
during the drill is that they’ll never have to actually use their life
jackets in an emergency situation. But yesterday in Tahiti, guests
aboard Windstar Cruises’ Wind Song had to quickly recall the evacuation
procedures that they learned the first day of their cruise.
At approximately 1:30am local time a fire broke out in
the ship’s engine room, forcing all 127 passengers and 92 crew to
evacuate the ship. Luckily, no injuries were reported.
After disembarking the small sailing vessel via
lifeboats, guests and crew were transferred to a local ferry that
brought them to the nearby island of Raiatea. The line flew passengers
on charter flights to Papeete, Tahiti, where they will stay at a local
resort.
The cause of the blaze is unknown at this time,
according to the line.
River Ships on Track 12/02/02
Uniworld’s new 138-guest river cruise ships are on track for delivery in
Europe next year.
River Countess will debut on March 23, and River
Duchess will arrive on June 8. -- a 14-night Grand Cruise between
Amsterdam and Budapest. The River Countess has just successfully
completed her Dutch Shipping Inspection trials, according to Uniworld,
and will soon head to Arnhem, to be fitted with interior elements such
as furniture, draperies, etc.
River Duchess, the second of two new river ships from
Uniworld, is taking shape at Den Breejen shipyard in
Hardinxveld-Giessendam, the Netherlands. According to the line, the
front hull is close to completion, with steelworks and painting nearly
finished. Installation of piping, electricity and air conditioning are
now underway, with woodworking scheduled to begin in December.
The river vessels are fitted with big-ship amenities,
but on a smaller scale. In fact they are boasting the largest onboard
fitness centers among other ships in their class, as well as big-ship
amenities such as an Internet corner for sending and receiving emails.
Cabins are more than 154 square feet, each with a
floor-to-ceiling or picture window and in-room features include a
sitting area; a vanity with make-up mirror; television with satellite
channels and onboard videos; a direct-dial telephone; in-cabin safe;
hair dryer; and terry cloth robe for each guest.
American guests traveling on these river goers won’t
have to worry about European language barriers. The ships are designed
exclusively for American travelers, as the English-language is the only
one spoken both on board and during all included shore excursions.
There’s no smoking onboard.
The River Countess will sail nine-day “Holland at Tulip
Time,” cruises; 16-day Grand Cruises from Amsterdam to Budapest; 24-day
Ultimate Grand Cruises from Amsterdam to Constanta; 12-day Blue Danube
and Prague sailings; 16-day Romantic Danube and Eastern Europe
itineraries; 10-day Budapest to the Black Sea sailings; and nine-day
Legendary Rhine cruises.
River Duchess itineraries include seven-night cruises
along the Danube River between Budapest and Nuremberg. The ship also
will sail seven-night Danube Wine Cruises between Budapest or Vienna and
Passau during October.
New Steamboatin’ Themes
10/29/02
In order to
emphasize history, heritage and culture onboard its paddlewheelers,
Delta Queen Steamboat Company has introduced some new theme cruises
aboard the Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen for 2003.
The inaugural seven-night “Southern Steamboat
Scramble,” April 12-19, will pit the Mississippi Queen against the
American Queen as they sail “full steam ahead” from New Orleans to
Memphis. Following a brass band, Big Easy-style send off, passengers and
crew will compete in onboard events for their own awards. The steamboat
race will end in Memphis with a winner’s celebration and awarding of the
Golden Antlers trophy.
From April 25 to May 2, the Delta Queen will sail from
Memphis to Cincinnati as it races the Belle of Louisville in the
Kentucky Derby Great Steamboat Race. The Delta Queen then departs
Cincinnati for a roundtrip cruise May 2-6 that includes attendance at
the Kentucky Derby and onboard lectures on the history of horse racing.
The Delta Queen and the Mississippi Queen will depart
New Orleans June 26 for The Great Steamboat Race to St. Louis. The
annual 11-night contest retraces the route of the 1870 race between the
Natchez and the Robert E. Lee, and concludes July 7 after awarding of
the Golden Antlers and a visit to Fair St. Louis.
“In addition to the races, our 2003 line-up caters to
Steamboatin’ veterans as well as guests who have never tried a cruise on
a paddlewheeler before,” said Tom Carman, chief operating officer, DQSC.
Two new Mississippi River cruises aboard the American
Queen will trace the path and explore the history of Lewis & Clarke. The
first journey, August 2-9, will sail from St. Paul to St. Louis. The
second cruise will sail from St. Louis to New Orleans from August 9-17.
The American Queen’s six-night cruise from Pittsburgh
to Louisville departing on May 6 will have a “Barbershop Harmony” theme
with performances by barbershop quartets and choruses.
Other themes include Big Band, Civil War, New Orleans
Jazz Celebration and Mardi Gras, Fall Foliage, Old-Fashioned Holidays,
River Tramping, and Spring Pilgrimage.
Fares start at $375 per person/double occupancy.
Travel Channel Hits the High
Seas 11/28/02
Have any plans for Sunday night?
We’ve got something for you to do. And all it requires
is sitting in front of the boob tube. There is one catch though -- you
must have cable television.
On December 1, the Travel Channel will air three hours
worth of programming on cruise ship topics beginning at 8 p.m., ET.
The first show in the series – Voyager: Beyond the
Cruise – will take viewers behind the scenes of, you guessed it, Royal
Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas. Watch interviews with the
ship’s captain and crew as well as passengers sailing on the ship’s
Caribbean route from Miami to Labadee, Georgetown, and Cozumel. Voyager
was the first ship to introduce an onboard rock-climbing wall, In-line
skating track, ice-skating rink and miniature golf course.
“Cruise Ship Secrets,” will begin at 9 p.m. Several
vessels will be showing their faces during this episode, but we’re not
giving any “secrets” away. During the hour, the show will expose the
ships’ wide range of onboard activities. It will also show how the
floating hotels are prepped and provisioned.
During the third hour of programming, starting at 10
p.m., another Royal Caribbean ship will be in the limelight. The
2,100-guest Radiance of the Seas will be the star of “Great Cruises.”
The special will give viewers the ins and outs of an Alaskan cruise-tour
experience via sea and land as the ship sails from Vancouver to Juneau,
Skagway and Ketchikan. Viewers will catch glimpses of the ship’s
nine-hole miniature golf course and the only self-leveling billiard
tables at sea.
The show also will highlight the line’s Wilderness
Express glass-domed train car, as it journeys to Alaska's Denali
National Park, and show viewers what it’s like to go dog sledding and
for a helicopter ride over Hubbard Glacier.
If you don’t want to sacrifice watching the Sopranos on
Sunday night, don’t fret. The shows will air again Sunday night at 11
p.m., 12 a.m., and 1 a.m. respectively; and on Saturday, December 7,
repeating the same schedule as December 1. Check your cable listing for
the Travel Channel.
Asian
Touches in SeaDream’s New Spas 11/27/02
A new Asian Spa and Wellness Center aboard
SeaDream Yacht Club’s SeaDream I and II promises guests individualized
revitalizing and rejuvenating programs for health, fitness, relaxation
and beauty.
According to the line, the new spa has adopted a
holistic approach and draws on ancient Eastern philosophy, knowledge and
techniques to encourage a lifestyle of harmony between mind and body.
The spa will have six therapists on each ship, all
under the direction of Dr. Mohammed Saeme, MD, Ph.D., an internationally
recognized expert on maritime health who created the program especially
for SeaDream.
Larry Pimentel, CTC, Chairman and CEO of SeaDream Yacht
Club said, “We enjoy a special clientele. It includes a high percentage
of youthful, active people who are conscious of good mental and physical
health. Our new Asian Spa and Wellness Center has great appeal for
them.”
Some treatments available in SeaDream’s Asian Spa and
Wellness Center include Japanese Shiatsu, a deep, brisk, pressure point
massage; Javanese Lulur, a spice and yogurt scrub; Cucumber-Aloe Wrap,
cucumber and essential oils; and Honey Glow Polish – a mix of honey,
sesame seeds and dried herbs.
The spa also has thalassotherapy treatments and
massages, including the line’s signature massage -- a combination of
both Eastern and Western massage techniques consisting of an elaborate,
hand choreography of long stroke pressure and gentle stretching. It
utilizes the senses of touch (the gentle hands of the masseuse), sight
(tropical flowers, fabrics, etc), aroma (rare oils), sound (relaxing
Asian music) and taste (ginger-honey tea, for example).
An onboard Fitness Therapist assists guests with
individualized programs for those interested in aerobics, yoga and tai
chi.
The spa offerings are coordinated with an optional spa
cuisine program that supplements the main dining option. Tom Carlson,
SeaDream’s Vice President, Hotel Operations, said “Our Wellness Cuisine
offers selections that reflect the guest’s personal lifestyle and
nutritional awareness. Our chefs, create a daily selection of dishes
that are low in cholesterol, salt and fat, yet still high in natural
flavors.”
Bahamian spiced crab meat cocktail with coconut
presented in a pineapple shell, sweet and sour cucumber dill salad, and
stir fried pork tenderloin with mushrooms and spring onions served over
gingered Jasmin rice are all wellness cuisine dinner menu choices.
“ Each Wellness Cuisine menu offers at least one
Oriental dish in order to link the menu to the Asian Spa concept.
SeaDream yachts also offer a variety of vegetarian selections at each
meal. Additionally, the bars aboard our yachts offer healthy cocktails
made from fresh fruits, as an alternative to alcoholic and carbonated
beverages,” added Carlson.
Prices for SeaDream’s Asian Spa and Wellness Center
programs and range from $20 for a 20 minute hydro massage to $700 for a
five-day spa program of 90 minutes per day.
Spa menus and wellness cuisine menus – which change
daily – and rates will be available on the “fact” section of line’s
website --
www.seadreamyachtclub.com -- shortly, in the form of a PDF file.
ResidenSea Raises Rates
11/25/02
As if they weren’t high enough already, ResidenSea has
raised its capacity-controlled 2003 promotional fares for The World’s
May 4–27 cruise in Asia and its October 28 – November 11 sailing in the
Caribbean and South America.
“We introduced 2003 promotional fares last month and
have received such enthusiastic support from our travel agent partners,
that bookings for some 2003 voyages have already reached our target
levels. This allows us to raise rates and command a premium on these key
destinations in Asia and South America,” explains Nikki Upshaw, vice
president of sales for the line. “The promotional fares for the rest of
2003 remain as announced last month, but we encourage our partners to
book early to ensure their clients have access to the best fares.”
The 2003 promotional fares are as follows:
|
Revised 2003 Promotional Fares (per night, double occupancy) |
| |
|
Dates |
SR1 |
SR2 |
SR3 |
SR4 |
SR5 |
2 BR |
3BR |
Jan. 02 – Jan. 28
Jun. 29 – Jul. 11
Sep. 09 – Oct. 27
Nov. 12 – Dec. 20 |
$450
|
$450
|
$600
|
$600
|
$1,200
|
$1,700
|
$2,300 |
Jan. 29 – Feb. 13
Mar. 20 – May 3
May 28 – Jun. 28
Jul. 12 – Sep. 08 |
$500
|
$500
|
$650
|
$650
|
$1,300
|
$1,900
|
$2,500 |
Feb. 14 – Mar. 19
Dec. 21 – Jan. 01, 2004 |
$525
|
$525
|
$700
|
$700
|
$1,400
|
$2,000
|
$2,600 |
May 04 – May 27
NEW FARES |
$500
|
$500
|
$830
|
$920
|
$1,670
|
$1,900
|
$2,500 |
Oct. 28 – Nov. 11
NEW FARES |
$450
|
$450
|
$770
|
$850
|
$1,550
|
$1,700
|
$2,300 |
Fares include gratuities and port
charges.
Fire it Up on Coral Princess
11/23/02
When Princess
Cruises’ new Coral Princess debuts in December a new "ScholarShip@Sea"
program will be introduced with it in the ship’s two-deck Universe
Lounge.
The new venue
boasts three revolving stages with integrated lifts, large projection
screens and the ability to broadcast a cooking demonstration to an
audience of more than 400, or accommodate 50 passengers with a laptop
for a hands-on web page design. Universe Lounge also will have the
latest lighting equipment and digital surround sound and video
capabilities.
Through the
ScholarShip@Sea program, passengers will be able to choose from 20
courses per voyage (six per sea day) in the areas of Culinary Arts,
Visual/Creative Arts, Photography and Computer Technology free of
charge. There is, however, a $10 (and up) fee for specialized hands-on
classes, which focus on hand-building pottery, photography and computer
training.
Sculpt a mermaid or design a personal tile in the
ship’s onboard pottery studio and kilns – a first for the industry – or
learn how to whip up some Italian dishes with expert chefs in the
lounge’s full demonstration kitchen. Classes in photography – from basic
skills to digital technology – and web page design, estate planning and
watercolor painting also are options.
Lectures and forums are part of the program as well.
In addition to the previously noted subjects, topics
will be selected for each sailing. Presentations about subjects such as
personal finance, underwater archeology, nutrition, geography, natural
history, wellness, the performing arts, and marine biology are being
developed, and invitations are being extended to experts including
authors, astronauts, chess champions and maritime historians.
Conquest May Give New
Orleans the Boot 11/22/02
The 2,974-passenger Carnival Conquest, Carnival’s newest fleet addition,
has barely made its debut in New Orleans but the line may have to pull
it out of the Louisiana homeport.
The reason?
A power line that hangs over the Mississippi River is
too low for the 110,000-ton ship to safely sail under with mainstream
traffic. Carnival execs infuriated over why this obstacle wasn’t fixed
before the ship arrived, and Louisiana’s major power provider Entergy is
spouting that it will cost about $15 million to move the power line.
Not good.
Meanwhile the Conquest has to sail in and out of the
port hugging the shoreline, which upsets the flow of river traffic and
also forces Entergy to cut off power through the line to insure the ship
doesn’t get electrocuted during its path.
So unless the problem gets resolved with in a couple of
months, Carnival has vowed to move the Conquest to another Gulfport.
For now, the ship will sail seven-day cruises from New
Orleans to Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Montego Bay.
Holiday Break
11/21/02
Sail away during the holidays on one of Radisson Seven
Seas Cruises’ ships in the
Caribbean, Mexico and Panama Canal for half the price. Two-for-one rates
and 50 percent off of second-guest fares are available on four- to
16-night itineraries on Seven Seas Navigator, Radisson Diamond and Seven
Seas Mariner departing December 9 – 27.
The ships will sail from Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach,
and Los Angeles. Fares start at $998 per person.
Call your travel agent or 1-800-285-1835 or visit
www.rssc.com.
Prinsendam Bags Europe
11/20/02
Holland America Line has pulled the plug on the Prinsendam’s 2003 Europe
season, and will instead deploy the 793-guest vessel in Alaska next
summer.
The line’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and
Sales, David A. Giersdorf said that it made the move because of its
“overall capacity in Europe for 2003 -- including 11 sailings on our
new, 1,848 passenger Oosterdam -- combined with the strong demand for
more Holland America sailings from California and [the line’s]
leadership position in Alaska.”
Prinsendam will sail eight 14-day Golden Gateway Alaska
cruises from San Francisco, beginning May 17, 2003. Departing every
other Saturday the cruise will sail to Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan,
Wrangell, British Victoria, and Astoria.
Holland America also has added a new 23-day cruise from
Hong Kong to San Francisco and a 22-day Panama Canal cruise from San
Francisco to Boston to the Prinsendam’s roster. The Hong Kong sailing
will depart on April 25 and visit Shanghai, China; Nagasaki and Osaka,
Japan; Petropavlovsk, Russia; Dutch Harbor and Kodiak, Alaska.
The new Panama Canal itinerary will depart on September
10, and sail to San Diego, Manzanillo, Huatulco, Puerto Quetzal, Puerto
Caldera, Oranjestad, Half Moon Cay, and Philadelphia.
Beginning October 2, the Prinsendam will continue its
previously published schedule of two Canada/New England cruises in the
fall followed by a 21-day Panama Canal/South America cruise and a 30-day
South Pacific/Hawaii sailing. I also will sail a 17-day Holiday/Panama
Canal cruise before departing Fort Lauderdale on a 108-day Grand World
Voyage on January 4, 2004.
If you were booked on any of the Prinsendam's canceled
Europe sailings, call 1-800-577-1728, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m., PST. The line will try to get you on one of the sailings
on its new Oosterdam, which will sail eleven 12 and 14-day cruises in
the Baltic, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
In other Holland America news. . .
The line should have cancelled the Amsterdam’s November
11 sailing last week when more than 160 passengers on the ship’s
previous cruise contracted the Norwalk virus. But they didn’t. Instead,
the line has cancelled the ship’s November 21, 10-day southern Caribbean
sailing, noting that it is necessary in order to break the
person-to-person cycle of the gastrointestinal sickness that plagued the
Amsterdam passengers last week.
Holland America made efforts to sanitize the ship last
Monday, but Amsterdam did sail out of port that night with new
passengers onboard. Although limited, the virus did spread to passengers
on that sailing as well. So when it returns to Ft. Lauderdale this week,
it won’t go anywhere.
According to Holland America, it is most likely that
the virus was brought aboard ship in the form of an infected passenger
who in turn passed it to other passengers and crewmembers. The company's
efforts to combat the virus have included removing passengers and crew
with NLV symptoms from the ship and vigorous cleaning and disinfecting
protocols.
The ship will sail again on December 1 – hopefully
virus free.
Go for the Gold
11/19/02
If you tried to book Cruise West’s 10-night “Gold Rush”
Alaska cruise itinerary, but got shut out – try again. The line has
added two departure dates, May 17 and 27.The Spirit of Alaska will sail between Seattle and Juneau, and visit
Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Skagway, and Haines. Other highlights
include the old port Friday Harbor in Washington’s San Juan Islands and
a day of cruising through islands and channels of Desolation Sound in
the British Columbia portion of the Inside Passage.
Exploration leaders will be onboard to narrate the
passing scene, identifying wildlife and lead evening presentations on
natural history, native cultures, and events from Alaska’s Russian and
gold rush past.
Double-occupancy fares range from $2,849 to $4,699.
Those who book May departures by December 6 will save up to $400 per
person; $200 if booked by February 14. Travelers booking any Gold Rush
departure by February 14 are also eligible for free or reduced airfare.
Ahoy,
Louisville
11/17/02
RiverBarge Excursions Lines has added Louisville, KY,
to its roster as a boarding and destination landing for its four Ohio
River “America’s Junction” trips in July 2003.
“In researching new anchor cities, we look for those
with a rich history that make America what it is today. We are pleased
to bring the River Explorer to this culturally diverse destination and
look forward to contributing to its economic viability,” states Eddie
Conrad, founder and CEO of RiverBarge Excursions Lines, Inc.
RiverBarge Excursions is introducing its eight-day
“America’s Junction” trip on the River Explorer from St. Louis to
Louisville, July 14-21, 2003, with visits to Chester, IL; Cape
Girardeau, MO; Paducah and Henderson, KY; and New Harmony, IN. The ship
will sail two round-trip voyages from Louisville in 2003, including a
six-day excursion from July 21-26 and a five-day trip from July 26-30.
The ship will visit Henderson, New Harmony, and Owensboro. The five-day
voyages will visit Madison and Aurora.
On the “America’s Junction -- The Route of Lewis and
Clark” from July 30-August 7, the ship will sail from Louisville to St.
Charles, with visits to Henderson, New Harmony, Paducah, Cape Girardeau,
Chester, and Saint Genevieve.
Fine Dining
11/15/02
Executive chef John Doherty of the New York-based Waldorf Astoria will
be a guest chef on two six-night sailings of Continental Waterways’ MS
Chardonnay between Dijon and Lyon. During the river barge’s June 14 and
July 26 departures, Doherty will take guests through medieval castles,
17th-century wine cellars, open-air markets, olive oil mills and gourmet
restaurants.
Guests will dine with him at Paul Bocuse; fish with
local fishermen along the banks of the Saône; meet escargot farmers and
the cheese-producing Monks of The Abbey of Citeaux; taste the creations
of Lyonnais charcuteries and Bernachon chocolate-makers; join wine
tastings in Beaujolais; and visit the Quai St. Antoine market and Mulot
& Petitjean in Dijon.
Doherty also will prepare some meals onboard with
ingredients from local markets, including an end-of-cruise dinner.
Cruise prices are $2,150 to $2,950, per person/double
occupancy. Call your travel agent or 1-800-546-4777 or visit
www.continentalwaterways.com.
Coral Princess
Delayed, Others Swop Names
11/14/02
Those planning to sail on the
inaugural cruise of Princess Cruises' Coral Princess will have to make
other holiday plans. The new 1,970-guest ship will be delayed almost two
weeks.
Originally slated to debut on December 14, the vessel
won't begin its 10-day Panama Canal voyages from Ft. Lauderdale until
December 24. According to Dean Brown, the line's executive vice
president of customer service and sales, "the shipbuilder Chantiers de
l'Atlantique found itself with unexpected delays."
Booked passengers are currently being transferred to
other sailing dates and ships. They'll also receive full refunds and a
$500 per cabin credit on a future cruise.
Two of Princess' other newbuilds -- sister ships
Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess -- will swop names. The
originally-named Sapphire Princess will be moved up in delivery three
months to February 2004, and re-named Diamond Princess. The original
Diamond Princess, which was severely damaged during a fire in early
October, will take on the Sapphire Princess name.
The "new" Diamond Princess will debut in Mexico in
March 2004, with weekly sailings round-trip from Los Angeles. The "new"
Sapphire Princess will hit Alaskan waters in May 2004, with seven-day
round-trip voyages from Seattle. After its Mexico season, the Diamond
Princess will join its sister in Alaska for the summer.
RCI Mariner in Port Canaveral
11/14/02
Conveniently located in central
Florida, Port Canaveral has increasingly become popular with the big
ships. But next year will be even bigger.
Royal Caribbean will base its newest (and last)
3,114-guest Voyager-class vessel -- Mariner of the Seas -- in Port
Canaveral beginning November 2003. The ship will debut in October, and
will be the largest ship to sail from the port year-round.
Mariner will sail alternating seven-night eastern and
western Caribbean routes beginning November 23. Eastern cruises will
call at Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. Western cruises will visit
Labadee, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
In addition to
the Disney ships and Carnival vessels that currently sail from the
popular port, the huge ship will join RCI's Sovereign of the Seas.
When Mariner arrives, Sovereign will move its three-night departures
to Friday and its four-night sailings to Monday, as not to conflict
with the Mariner's Sunday departures.
Crown Blue Line Skips Over to the US
More than 50,000 people have been doing it all over
Europe since 1969, but it hasn’t been available in the United States
until now. Well, not exactly. It will hit US waters in May 2003.
“It” is Crown Blue Line’s self-skippered,
soft-adventure cruise experience. The UK-based company — which currently
offers boat rentals along the rivers and canals of France, Ireland,
Scotland, Germany, Holland and Italy — will base a fleet of 34-foot
power catamarans and river boats in Annapolis to sail the Chesapeake Bay
area.
“The Chesapeake, with its light moderate winds, is the
perfect location for the self-skippered experience,” says Peter Cook,
U.S. general manager for First Choice Marine, the parent company of
Crown Blue Line (CBL,
www.crownblueline.com).
For $3,000 a week, friends, families and couples can
rent a boat and drive it along the harbors, bays, rivers, creeks and
coves of the Chesapeake — stopping at their leisure to visit Baltimore’s
Inner Harbor, the Maryland Maritime Museum, and other points of
interest.
Each boat is stocked with a fully equipped galley, and
bikes and has two steering positions — one inside and one outside — two
double cabins, each with private bath and shower, and a living room
area.
“We have found the Crown Blue Line experience appeals
to a broad audience,” says Keith Gregory, general manager of CBL’s
European operations. “Seniors find it an ‘adventure’ that expands their
horizons without being physically taxing, while couples and families
enjoy the opportunity to explore.”
Boaters don’t have to be experienced navigators. The
cabin cruisers are designed with the novice in mind, and the American
fleet will have GPS directional systems onboard. Cruises come with an
introductory briefing, waterway guides with navigational maps and a
captain’s manual, so vacationers will have to get their feet wet before
they put on their boat shoes.
Even though the program hasn’t officially begun yet, CBL has plans for
expansion in the US.
“We anticipate not only adding to the rest of the
fleet, but also expanding to other regions of the country,” said Cook.
CBL will begin its expansion as soon as next year with
a new Florida program — details of which will be announced around
Thanksgiving.
Back to the top
Pass the Chips, Please
It’s common to see passengers walk away from a poker
table in the onboard casino with many chips in hand. It’s not everyday,
though, that they walk away with millions.
But on the March 1-8, 2003, sailing of Holland America
Line’s Zaandam, that’s the objective. PartyPoker.com, an online poker
room, is hosting its “PartyPoker.com Million II” tournament on the ship,
where some of the world’s top poker players, and paid entrants, will
battle for the estimated $1.5 million cash prize.
As part of a televised event on the World Poker Tour,
players may enter the finals of the PartyPoker.com Million by winning a
semi-final or Super Satellite competition, or by buying their way in.
PartyPoker customers who want to buy into the finals
directly will have to fork over $5,200; non-members will dish out
$5,500. Members are defined as those who have played at least 800 raked
hands and/or at least eight PartyPoker Million Tournaments and/or at
least three PartyPoker Million Semi-finals and/or at least 12 Real Money
Tournaments.
So what are the rules?
The game will be strictly Limit Hold'em; seating will
be drawn by random; and all players will start with $5,000 in tournament
chips.
According to the PartyPoker web site, the event is a
four-day Multi-table tournament whose format will be based on the number
of entries (yet to be determined). All players may start on the same day
at the same time or play will be divided with half the field starting on
the first day, and the other half on day two.
If the latter happens, it would work like this: Half
will start play on day one and the other half will start on day two.
Competitors will play equal sessions. Following play on day two, the
remaining players will convene on day three (starting with their
respective chips from the first two days) and play down to the final
table, which will be six players. The six finalists will play on day
four until the conclusion of the tournament.
Players better stick to the rules, and behave.
Penalties (including possible disqualification) will be given for
misbehavior, unethical activity, abuse of players or staff, and foul
language.
Back to the top
Feelin’
Hot, Hot, Hot
Norwegian Cruise Line isn’t promising performances by
Jennifer Lopez or Ricky Martin just yet, but it is planning to serve-up
a taste of Fuacata! on the new Norwegian Dawn.
A Spanish word meaning “to be hit by the unexpected” Fuacata
doubles as a hot party trend in Miami that will make its way onto the
decks of the 2,224-guest Norwegian Dawn, set to debut December 5.
The line is touting an all-night Fuacata party of pounding
Latin-mixed music and Latin-inspired food and drinks such as sweet
mojito mixers on Thursday nights during the ship’s seven-day cruises
from New York to Miami, Nassau and Orlando, which will kick-off on May
18, 2003. (Vacationers also can opt to embark in Orlando.)
Why on Thursdays?
That’s the day the Norwegian Dawn visits Miami.
“For those who haven’t experienced Fuacata, they will find what people
have learned in South Beach — it’s more than just a party, it’s a state
of mind,” explains Colin Veitch, NCL’s president and CEO. “It’s lively,
it’s hot, it’s sexy,” he added.
Yowsers!
The party will go beyond grooves and grub. Cuban
cigars, racy temporary tattoos, maracas, tambourines and neon glow
sticks will be on hand.
Be careful not to get knocked out by the special-recipe
Fuacata punch — those fake tattoos are always hard to wash off.
Back to the top
Break Up, Move On
Relationships are never easy, especially when there’s a
third party involved. In the end, a breakup is the best alternative.
So when it came time for P&O Princess Cruises to make a
decision about who they wanted to partner with — Royal Caribbean Cruises
or Carnival Corporation — the company chose the latter.
Late last month P&O terminated its merger agreement
with Royal Caribbean, to instead enter into a possible dual company
listing (DCL) with Carnival. The UK-based company paid Royal Caribbean a
$62.5 million break-up fee.
Carnival expects that the earliest date on which P&O
would recommend the Carnival DLC is January 1, 2003. The merger
completion would then occur during the first quarter of 2003.
What’s that mean?
If the deal goes through, Carnival will acquire P&O,
but the companies will be listed separately on the New York and London
stock exchanges.
Carnival is an industry leader, but the merger would make it an even
bigger corporation. Thirteen cruise brands and more than 70 ships will
be under the Carnival umbrella next year if it ties the knot with P&O,
who currently operates P&O Australia, Princess Cruises, Swan Hellenic
Cruises, Ocean Village and AIDA . Besides its namesake cruise line,
Carnival owns Holland America, Windstar, Seabourn, Costa and Cunard.
Wild In
Washington
Seattle-based Glacier Bay Cruiseline has unveiled a new
itinerary featuring Washington State's San Juan
Islands. Beginning May 1, 2003, the 32-guest
Wilderness Explorer will set
sail on a series of thirteen five-night adventures departing from
Bellingham, Washington.
"This area has long been a favorite of private yachtsmen and recognized
the world over for its superlative sea kayaking,” explains Brian
McKiernan, the line’s director of business development. “This
archipelago is a maze of islands, coves, inlets and waterways
encompassing over 400 islands — making this the perfect destination for
our soft-adventure cruise style," he added.
The cruise heads into back country exploration on Cypress, Stuart and
Sucia Islands, and includes transportation from Seattle on Amtrak's
Cascade line and a pre-hotel night in the heart of Seattle's waterfront
district — for $1,095 per person/double occupancy.
Back to the top
Europe 2003
‘Tis the season. The Europe cruise season, that is.
Last year most cruise lines pulled ships out of Europe and moved them to
points in the Caribbean and U.S., but next year many ships will ply
European waters again. Following are a few lines who are sending their
ships back across the Atlantic next year.
Royal Caribbean International will have three ships in Europe this
season. Brilliance of the Seas,
Grandeur of the Seas, and
Splendour of the Seas will sail a series of seven– and 12-night
Mediterranean, British Isles and Scandinavia/Russia itineraries, from
May through October 2003. The line will offer new cruise-tours that pair
cruises with fully-escorted land tours of historic areas of France,
England and Spain. A tour of England with stops in London, Alnwick and
York, will trace the steps of Harry Potter —from the movie "Harry Potter
and the Sorcerer's Stone.”
From April through the beginning of November, Princess Cruises’
Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Royal
Princess, and Regal Princess
will sail on seven– to 19-day itineraries. The ships will depart
from London, Venice, Rome, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Athens, and Lisbon.
Holland America will have four ships in Europe with 43 itineraries
varying from the Mediterranean and Baltic to Northern Europe as well as
trans-Atlantic voyages. The new
Oosterdam (set to debut July 10),
Noordam, Prinsendam, and
Rotterdam will all sail in
Europe next year on a selection of 10-, 12- and 14-day cruises with
departures from April 28 through November 7.
Celebrity’s Millennium and
Constellation will depart on 10–
to 14-night itineraries from May through October. Barcelona, Venice,
Lisbon, Rome, Istanbul, Athens and Dublin are all on the agenda.
Back to the top
Prinsendam
Receives New Royalties
When Holland America Line first introduced its “Elegant Explorer,” the
794-guest Prinsendam (formerly
the Seabourn Sun) this summer,
it didn’t quite live up to its name. The staterooms were dull and worn,
and the bathrooms looked like they hadn’t been updated since its
original construction as the Royal
Viking Sun in 1988.
Fortunately that all has changed.
The line recently “upgraded” 365 of the
Prinsendam’s 398 staterooms, sprucing them up with new draperies,
bedspreads, verandah and window curtains, bedskirts, headboard
coverings, pillows and lampshades with a new, up-to-date design
featuring blue and gold, floral and pattern fabrics and carpeting.
"When Holland America took delivery of the
Prinsendam, we initially
renovated 19 suites and built 14 lanai staterooms," said David A.
Giersdorf, senior vice president, marketing and sales. "Then, we focused
on freshening all of the remaining cabins to ensure that this
794-passenger ship lives up to her Elegant Explorer reputation."
In most cabins, sofas also were reupholstered and bathroom sinks
replaced — thank goodness. They were in bad shape when the ship first
debuted. Cabin and corridor carpet replacement, and repairs to tile,
grout, plumbing fixtures and verandah teak decks have been completed;
and new verandah furniture was added.
Future plans call for replacing the 134 verandah doors, which is
scheduled during the ship's next regularly drydock.
The total cost? Twenty-five million bucks.
"These upgrades further enhance the
Prinsendam's very special cruise experience. We are confident our
guests will treasure each moment they sail aboard this intimate, elegant
ship to her out-of-the-ordinary destinations," said Giersdorf.
Through April 2003, the Prinsendam
will ply the waters of the South Pacific and Asia, with routes from
Singapore, Hong Kong, Osaka and Sydney to Hardee Reef, Great Barrier
Reef, Brisbane, Napier, Brunei, Vietnam, Shanghai, and Beijing.
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