Earlier this month, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, was presented with
another award for its growing 2005 collection. The ship’s
Captain Hagen Damaschke accepted a plaque for its flagship
luxury cruise ship, MS Europa, in
recognition of receiving the highest possible rating ??????
+ (Six-Stars-Plus) from Stern’s Guide to the Cruise
Vacation. Author Steven Stern presented the plaque. The new
guide will be published
For the first time since the guide has been published, Europa,
the luxury Hapag-Lloyd ship, will capture its highest ratings
in the next edition of Stern’s Guide to the Cruise Vacation,
to be published in late 2005.
For the fifth consecutive year, Europa captured the highest
rating in Berlitz Publishing’s annual Guide to Ocean
Cruising & Cruise Ships 2005. The ship received the only
Five-Stars-Plus rating out of 256 ships reviewed by author
Douglas Ward.
Other awards presented to Hapag-Lloyd cruise ships in 2004
include:
-- MS Europa: Ship of the Year, Schlummer-Atlas, Germany.
-- MS Hanseatic: World’s Best Destination-Intensive
Exploration Ship, Berlitz Publishing’s Ocean Cruising
& Cruise Ships 2005 by Douglas Ward.
-- MS Hanseatic: Green Planet Award from Kuoni Travel, Switzerland.
-- MS Columbus: World’s Best Ship in the Great Lakes,
Berlitz Publishing’s Ocean Cruising & Cruise Ships
2005 by Douglas Ward.
-- MS Columbus: Ship of the Year 2005 from Luftansa City Center
(LCC), Germany
-- MS Bremen: Green Planet Award from Kuoni Travel, Switzerland.
Carnival Freedom is the name selected by Carnival Cruise Lines
for its new 110,000-ton cruise ship scheduled to enter service
in spring 2007. To be built at a cost of $500 million at the
Fincantieri shipyard in Sestri, Italy, the new 2,974-passenger
“Fun Ship” will be the fifth in Carnival’s
highly successful Conquest-class, which also includes Carnival
Conquest and Carnival Glory, currently in service, and Carnival
Valor and Carnival Liberty, set to debut December 15, 2004,
and July 20, 2005, respectively. The itinerary for the Carnival
Freedom will be announced at a later date.
The new Carnival Freedom will encompass 13 passenger decks
housing 22 lounges and bars, a 13,300-square-foot health club,
a 2,400-square-foot children’s play room, a 4,200-square-foot
teen club/game room, four swimming pools, a 214-foot-long
water slide, and four restaurants, including an upscale reservations-only
supper club. Other features will include a nine-deck-high
atrium, a full gambling casino, a duty-free shopping mall,
and a comprehensive golf program. Of the ship’s 1,487
staterooms, 60 percent will offer either an ocean view or
a balcony.
Rising stars of the culinary world - Aquavit's and Riingo's
Marcus Samuelsson, Table 8's Govind Armstrong, Alma de Cuba's
Jose Garces, and established names in cuisine - Bradley Ogden,
André Soltner, and Alan Wong, among others - share
top billing with noted wine experts including Union Square
Café's Karen King, Michael Mina's Master Sommelier
Rajat Parr, and Master Sommelier Elizabeth Schweitzer, during
Crystal Cruises' 2005 Wine & Food Festival. An award-winning
cast of the hottest, most progressive and most celebrated
names in cuisine and wine take to sea to host special dinners,
demonstrations and wine tastings on 15 luxury cruises to all
corners of the globe aboard the elegant Crystal Harmony, Crystal
Symphony and Crystal Serenity. In most cases, the visiting
chefs are paired with itineraries that reflect either the
style of their cuisine or the location of their restaurant.
The collective awards and recognitions of the 2005 Wine &
Food Festival participants is a testament to the increasing
stature of Crystal Cruises' annual festival, now in its ninth
year. (Click Crystal on Cruise Itinerary News
for more information.)
The Cousteau Society and Carnival Corporation plc have reached
an agreement in principle to restore the Calypso, the legendary
research and expedition vessel of Captain Jacques Yves Cousteau.
Once restored, Calypso will become an exhibit and a center
for science and the environment.
The Cousteau Society has been diligently working toward a
successful solution for this historic vessel. The last eight
months have been used to put together a plan to restore the
former American minesweeper as authentically as possible.
"I'm so pleased at this outcome, as I know Captain Cousteau
would have been," said Francine Cousteau, widow of Jacques
Cousteau and president of the Cousteau Society.
Calypso will be restored at a shipyard in Grand Bahama, The
Bahamas, at an estimated cost of $1.3 million, with work expected
to be completed by the end of 2005. The vessel's new location,
following refurbishment, is to be announced at a later date.
The Calypso will maintain its French flag and will remain
a historic symbol of the extraordinary work of Captain Cousteau
and the Cousteau Society, which carries on his work in science
and education for public awareness, as well as for international
university research.
According to Giora Israel, vice president of strategic planning
for Carnival Corporation, restoring the Calypso is a unique
opportunity to preserve a part of history and maintain a world-famous
icon for marine research and environmental preservation. "The
company views its funding of the Calypso's restoration as
a tribute to the Cousteau organization whose contributions
to marine science and education are immeasurable," said
Israel. "As the world's largest cruise operator, Carnival
Corporation's success relies on the health of the world's
oceans and the restoration of the Calypso will serve to expose
new generations to the Calypso story and allow this famous
ship to continue to educate the public on the importance of
protecting our precious natural resources," he added.
Mr. Loël Guiness, who owns the Calypso and created, along
with Francine Cousteau, Arionis, a non-profit organization
to save the vessel, expressed great satisfaction at this outcome,
which corresponds to his wishes to see Calypso remain an icon
for science and education.
Calypso was involved in a mooring accident and sank in the
harbor of Singapore in 1996. Captain Cousteau decided then
that the vessel must be saved and arranged to have her transported
back to France, writing to The Cousteau Society, "I want
Calypso to remain at the service of science and education."
He began a campaign to find a permanent shelter for the vessel
and ultimately the city of La Rochelle, France, offered a
program to secure Calypso's future. Unfortunately, the La
Rochelle plans were never realized and the Calypso has remained
there in a caretaker status, in an increasingly debilitated
condition.
The refurbishing of the Calypso also creates an opportunity
for the Cousteau Society to produce a book and a new movie
about the incredible adventure of the most regarded exploration
vessel of her time.
Australia’s booming cruise ship industry doubled in
size this month with the maiden cruise from Sydney of the
largest liner ever based here, P&O Cruises’ Pacific
Sun. “The parade of liners visiting Australian
ports this summer is bigger and busier than ever,” said
P&O Cruises Managing Director Gavin Smith. The 47,000-ton
Pacific Sun is currently on a sell-out 11-day cruise to Vanuatu
and New Caledonia.
Fresh from a major $35 million refurbishment in the Bahamas,
where work was delayed for a month by an unprecedented series
of hurricanes in October, Pacific Sun boasts innovations never
before seen on a locally-based cruise ship. These include
a twisting two-storey waterslide, queen-sized beds in all
cabins, a child-free sunbathing deck, oyster, sushi and antipasto
bar, two Jacuzzis, nine bars and lounges, five restaurants
and cafes and multiple kids clubs for up to 300 children.
Formerly sailing in the US as Carnival Cruises’ Jubilee,
Pacific Sun will offer South Pacific cruises from Sydney year-round,
succeeding sister liner Pacific Sky which moved to her new
base in Brisbane in October.
The addition of Pacific Sun to P&O Cruises’ existing
Australian fleet of Pacific Sky and Pacific Princess doubles
the company’s capacity in the local market, with the
trio set to carry a record 74,000 passengers this summer.
Website: www.pocruises.com.au
.
This year Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 completed more
than 35 years, in service, thus making her longest serving
Cunard express liner in the company's history. QE2 took the
record from Aquitania which served Cunard Line from May 1914
to December 1949.
Milestones are not new to QE2: In August 2002 she completed
more than five million nautical miles - a world record for
any ship ever and the equivalent of sailing to the moon and
back nine times, sailing around the world 230 times or sailing
1,570 consecutive transatlantic crossings.
The ship has carried nearly three million passengers, completed
797 Atlantic crossings and completed 20 full world cruises.
The QE2 relinquished her flagship status and transatlantic
schedule to the bigger and newer Queen Mary 2, but after a
renovation, is now sailing from Southampton, England on popular
European cruises. She will, however, be doing her annual Around-The-World
Cruise in early January.
Carnival Names Stein Kruse CEO Of Holland America
Stein Kruse has been named chief executive officer for Holland
America Line Inc., a wholly owned unit of Carnival Corporation
& plc effective December 1, 2004. Kruse will report to
Micky Arison, chairman & CEO, and Howard Frank, vice chairman
& COO, Carnival Corporation & plc. Kruse brings more
than 20 years' cruise industry experience to the role as chief
executive officer. He was named president and chief operating
officer in November 2003 after serving four years as senior
vice president, fleet operations.
Kruse, who will serve as president and chief executive officer,
succeeds A. Kirk Lanterman who led Holland America Line for
more than 30 years. Lanterman, a cruise industry icon, will
continue to serve as chairman of Holland America Line Inc.
in a non-executive role and as a member of the board of directors
of Carnival Corporation & plc.
"Kirk has been a guiding light in the cruise industry
for more than 30 years and, together with his team, positioned
Holland America Line as the premium cruise leader," said
Arison. "Under his strong leadership Holland America
Line has exceeded the expectation of numerous stakeholders,
including employees, guests, travel sellers and our shareholders.
His contributions to our organization have truly been significant.
Arison added, "Stein and Kirk have worked together for
a number of years and Stein is uniquely qualified to continue
Holland America Line's track- record of accomplishment. Stein's
proven leadership ability will not only ensure a smooth transition
but also position Holland America Line for continued success
as the company fully implements its important Signature of
Excellence initiatives and takes delivery of additional capacity."
Jackie Matthews has been named public relations manager for
Cunard Line, based at the company’s new California corporate
headquarters. She will manage media relations, marketing communications
and special events throughout the Americas and handle the
PR activities surrounding Queen Victoria’s introduction
in 2007.
Matthews formerly served as senior account director for Yesawich,
Pepperdine, Brown & Russell/Novom (Novom Marketing), a
Los Angeles-based firm specializing in hospitality industry
clients, where she spearheaded public relations campaigns
for a variety of large-scale resorts and boutique hotels in
California, New Mexico and Mexico.
Star Cruises announced three key executives have been given
new appointments with its wholly-owned Miami-based subsidiary,
NCL Corporation.
Gary Sharman, formerly senior vice president of sales and
marketing for Star Cruises, has been named Vice President
for marketing and sales for Asia Pacific for Norwegian Cruise
Line. Sharman will remain at the Star Cruises Group’s
head office in Port Klang, Malaysia. Braydon Holland, the
former director of sales and marketing Australia/New Zealand
for Star Cruises remains in Sydney as NCL’s regional
director of sales and marketing.
Star’s former New Zealand sales manager, Gary Westwood,
is now New Zealand sales manager for NCL and remains in Auckland.
Holland and Westwood will report to Sharman and will continue
to represent Star Cruises in the region.
Amerigo Perasso, who has served as general counsel at Silversea
Cruises for the past three years, was named CFO of Silversea
Cruises. He replaces Pradeep Bajaj, Senior Vice President
and CFO, who resigned after nine years with the line. Perasso
also will assume the duties of chief revenue officer, a role
that has been held by Bill Leiber for the past year. Leiber,
who joined Silversea in 2000 in the top sales and marketing
position, becomes senior advisor to Silversea’s board,
spearheading and overseeing special projects. Perasso will
report to Silversea CEO Albert Peter and divide his time among
the company’s offices in Fort Lauderdale, London and
Monaco. Perasso officially joined the line as general counsel
in 2001 and has been instrumental in negotiating and executing
projects including shipbuilding contracts, newbuild financing
and company refinancing.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced that Donald Habeger
has been promoted to regional vice president of Government
and Community Relations. Formerly the company’s director
of industry relations for Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest and
the western provinces of Canada, Habeger now oversees Royal
Caribbean’s government and community relations activities
throughout Canada, the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. He is based
in Juneau, Alaska. Prior to joining Royal Caribbean in September
2002, Habeger served as Southeast Stevedoring’s port
manager for the Port of Juneau and remote ports throughout
the northern section of Southeastern Alaska. He also served
as the company’s vessel agent to cruise ships calling
at the Port of Juneau in the 1980s.
Cesare Ditel, a 40-year Princess veteran, has been named Commodore
of the company's 14-ship fleet. The designation of commodore
is an honor that is traditionally given to the most senior
captain of a fleet of ships.
Currently serving as master of Star Princess, Ditel
takes over the new title after a long career commanding many
of the ships in the Princess fleet. He began his career at
sea with Princess Cruises and the former Sitmar Cruises in
1964 as a third officer. Ditel also holds the distinction
of being the first Italian captain in the Princess fleet to
earn his British Master's certificate, allowing him to sail
the line's British-registered vessels.
Ditel hails from a seafaring family on Italy's island of Elba.
He began his maritime studies in 1953 at the Nautical School
in Leghorn, Italy, and after attending the Italian Naval Academy
and serving in the Navy for a couple of years, he began a
Merchant Navy career in 1961 aboard tanker ships. In 1964
he joined Sitmar as a Third Navigating Officer and moved up
the ranks, receiving his first post as Captain in 1985.
He was appointed captain of Star Princess for her 2002 launch,
plus brought out Ocean Princess when she debuted in 2000 and
Regal Princess at the time of her 1991 debut. He has recently
commanded Golden Princess, and has also been master of Sun
Princess, Crown Princess, and the original Star Princess,
Sea Princess and Dawn Princess.
In an era when cruise lines have taken tipping from customary
to practically mandatory even so far as to include automatic
charges on guests’ bills MSC Cruises is again standing
out from the crowd with a “tipping not required”
policy. “We do not feel tipping should be required because
every MSC crew member, including housekeepers, waiters and
bar staff, is paid a full salary,” says Richard E. Sasso,
president and CEO of MSC Cruises USA. “This is part
of our vision to recreate the qualities that made cruising
the exceptional experience it was in decades gone by. . .
to have the unique policy of tipping not required.”
The line’s 2004-2005 Caribbean brochure includes some
suggested gratuities, but Sasso emphasized that those are
merely guidelines for those who wish to acknowledge special
service. Should “a guest wish to reward a crew member
for exceptional service” that is a “personal decision
and not a company policy.”
MSC Cruises will have two ships sailing Caribbean itineraries
from Fort Lauderdale this winter season—the Lirica and
the Opera. Both ships will return to the Mediterranean in
the spring and return to Fort Lauderdale for the 2005-2006
winter season.
Carnival Corporation & plc has ordered two new 68,500-ton
cruise ships for its AIDA brand, which caters exclusively
to the German-speaking market. To be built at Germany's Meyer
Werft shipyard, the vessels have an all-in cost of approximately
315 million euros each and are expected to be delivered in
April 2007 and April 2009.
Each vessel, which will operate under AIDA's informal "club
resort" cruise concept aimed at younger, more active
passengers, will carry approximately 2,030 lower berths --
roughly 22 percent more than the largest vessel in the German
cruise operator's current fleet.” Part of our European
strategy is to aggressively grow the German market. Exciting
new ships like these are needed and they must be specifically
designed to meet the demands of German travelers who are increasingly
discovering the value and convenience of cruise holidays,"
said Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation & plc chairman
and CEO.
Earlier this fall, the company reached an agreement with Italian
shipbuilder Fincantieri for the construction of four new cruise
ships, as well as the redesign of the Queen Victoria for Cunard
Line. Arison noted that these multiple ship orders fulfill
the long-term strategy of growing the cruise market globally
and also lower the company's newbuild costs. He pointed out
that the per-berth price of the AIDA ships comes at the low
end of the range that Carnival has historically paid for euro-priced
newbuilds. Bernard Meyer, managing director of Meyer Werft
shipyard, said that the “order with Meyer Werft shows
the great confidence in our yard . . .These exciting new vessels
will set the standard for the future of German cruising for
many years to come."
AIDA Cruises introduced its club ships to the German cruise
market in 1996. In 2009 a total of six club ships will be
operating in the Mediterranean, the Canaries, North Sea, the
Baltic, the Caribbean and Central America.
In a move to further strengthen its leadership position in
the premium cruise category, Holland America Line announced
last month that it re-launched the spacious and elegant ms
Ryndam, featuring dramatic product and service enhancements
in virtually every area of the ship. Enhancements range from
new state-of-the-art facilities in the ship’s public
spaces to luxurious amenities in every stateroom. Highlights
include the innovative new Culinary Arts Center, the new “Explorations
Café and upgraded youth facilities. All of the enhancements
on the Ryndam are a direct result of the line’s $225
million Signature of Excellence initiative which focuses on
five areas that are central to the guests’ experience:
spacious, elegant ships and accommodations; sophisticated
five-star dining; gracious, unobtrusive service; extensive
enrichment programs and activities; and compelling worldwide
destinations. Although several enhancements are already in
place on other Holland America Line ships, the Ryndam is the
first in a series of the premium cruise line’s five-star
ships to feature the full breadth of this initiative. Work
on all ships is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2006.
Guests traveling onboard the Ryndam will be the first to get
a taste of the comprehensive new Culinary Arts Program. The
program integrates an entertaining enrichment experience with
passengers’ love for fine food and wine. A series of
cooking demonstrations, tasting events and intimate cooking
classes feature regional cuisine that highlights the ship’s
itinerary. Some cruises will even offer presentations by special
guest chefs to complement the expertise of the executive chef
and his team on board.
Featuring a state-of-the-art show kitchen, which serves as
a hub for these interactive gourmet experiences, passengers
can get an up-close view of the cooking action on large, plasma
screens while broadcast capabilities provide all guests the
opportunity to watch these events from the comfort of their
staterooms. In addition to the onstage kitchen, each Culinary
Arts Center will have portable cooking stations where groups
of up to 16 guests can participate in hands-on classes.
The new “Explorations Café – powered by
The New York Times—offers a comfortable, living room-type
environment where guests can sip a cup of coffee, browse through
one of the most extensive libraries at sea, spend time enjoying
a wide selection of music at one of several listening stations
or surf the Internet. Guests who visit the café can
access a variety of interesting books and “TimesTalks”
events, as well as the NYTimes.com website. The café
is decorated with compelling photos from the publication’s
famous archives and is furnished with tables that feature
The New York Times crossword puzzles. Guests can sit at the
tables and use grease pencils to complete the puzzle, or leave
the difficult parts for the next guest to finish.
A more comprehensive Youth Program and expanded kids facilities
offer age-specific activities. Club HAL®, offering fun
and creative activities for kids ages 3 to 12, includes state-of-the-art
facilities and will serve as the hub of the youth program
-kind waterfall and cave.
Guests on the Ryndam will also be able to take advantage of
the exclusive Greenhouse Spa and Salon, which provides guests
with a wide range of exotic skin, body and hair treatments.
The spa features new treatment rooms, a thermal suite and
hydro-pool as well as access to a spacious, well-appointed
fitness facility.
Holland America Line has elevated the dining experience on
board the Ryndam with exciting additions such as the Pinnacle
Grill restaurant, featuring Pacific Northwest fare and fine
wines, and two additional dining times in the main dining
room. Guests aboard the Ryndam will also enjoy enhanced Lido
dining and expanded selection from the complimentary 24-hour
room service.
Holland America Line announced that, as part of the comprehensive
Signature of Excellence initiative, guests now have several
new and exciting activities to choose from while visiting
the exclusive, private island paradise of Half Moon Cay. Enhancements
include a horseback riding and swimming excursion, a stingray
adventure, a guided personal watercraft tour and a fun-filled
aqua park. These new activities provide more ways for guests
to enjoy themselves while experiencing the warm sun, white
sandy beach and turquoise waters of this Caribbean island
retreat. These new activities augment Half Moon Cay's extensive
array of existing excursions including scuba diving tours
to explore the marine life, catch-and-release deep sea fishing
trips in the island's beautiful waters, eco tours by glass-bottom
boat, kayak trips and parasailing.
Half Moon Cay is located on 55 acres of the 2,400-acre Little
San Salvador Island, an international bird sanctuary in the
Bahamas. The island paradise is accessible only to guests
of Holland America Line and Windstar Cruises. It is a destination
on most Caribbean itineraries and on Panama Canal cruises
sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.
The cruise line worked directly with the Bahamian government
to ensure that new facilities were designed to minimize their
environmental impact and preserve this island paradise in
a manner consistent with its natural beauty. As a result,
Half Moon Cay is listed with the Bahamian National Trust as
a site of environmentally sustainable tourism.
Cunard Line’s RMS Queen Mary 2 has been awarded a maritime
Oscar from Berlitz in their 2005 guide to Ocean Cruising &
Cruise Ships. The famous liner’s Queens and Princess
Grill accommodations were awarded five stars—ranking
Queen Mary 2 seventh out of more than 260 ships—and
besting the luxury vessels of Silversea, Crystal and Radisson
Seven Seas. “It is especially gratifying to receive
this recognition as Queen Mary 2 has not even been in service
for a year,” said David Gevanthor, Cunard’s vice
president of marketing, “Queen Mary 2 has made her mark
as a travel icon for the 21st century and we know that these
accolades from Berlitz echo a respect shared by many travelers
worldwide.”
When not cruising the Caribbean, Queen Mary 2 resumes her
reign plying the North Atlantic as Cunard liners have for
165 years. For 2005, the line will offer 26, six-night crossings
between New York and Southampton, England, priced from $1,499
per person, double, which includes Economy Class air to or
from London. A collection of cruises to the Mediterranean,
Northern Europe and the eastern seaboard of North America
are interspersed with the transatlantic series.
Star Cruises won the award for "Best Cruise Operator
in Asia-Pacific” in the TTG Travel Awards 2004. This
is the seventh time that Star Cruises has won the award since
first winning it in 1996. "We are indeed very pleased
and honored to have won this prestigious award for the seventh
time. Winning the award, the highest honor for this category,
reflects our commitment in providing world class cruise experiences
in Asia/ Pacific and also bears testimony to the recognition
by the industry in acknowledging our continued efforts in
developing and promoting cruising in the region", said
Chong Chee-Tut, Chief Operating Officer of Star Cruises.
The TTG Travel Awards is a yearly highlight in the travel
trade calendar.
Royal Caribbean International is kicking off the season of
giving with a family sweepstakes giving nine winning families
a chance to ship out and share unforgettable experiences.
Through February 28, 2005, would-be cruisers can enter to
win one of three, seven-night Grand Prize cruises for 12 to
their destination of choice—Alaska, the Caribbean, or
Europe—or one of three, seven-night First Prize cruises
for four to the Caribbean through the line’s web sites
www.royalcaribbean.com
and
www.royalcaribbeanenespanol.com . In addition, visitors
to either site on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, can enter
to win one of three special bonus prizes—a four-night
Bahamas cruise for four.
Once site visitors have completed their sweepstakes entry,
they can involve families and friends to increase their chance
of winning by sending a “Veeper,” an animated,
talking e-card. Entrants can choose a character – a
dog, a kitten, a tropical fish, a baby, a man, or a woman
– or upload their own photo messenger. They then write
a personal message for their animated spokesperson to deliver
in the voice of their choice, such as “sportscaster”
or “valley girl.”
Royal Caribbean also is supporting the family sweepstakes
with a series of Spanish-language components, including humorous
television and radio commercials that will direct audiences
to the recently launched www.royalcaribbeanenespanol.com.
Entrants on this dedicated site can send personalized Veepers
to their friends and family in Spanish.
Star Cruises recently introduced a fuel surcharge for its
cruises in the Asia-Pacific following a review of the continued
impact of increased global oil prices on its operations. The
surcharge has been introduced as a temporary measure to defray
additional operating costs. The company is constantly monitoring
the fuel price and its impact on its operations with a view
to adjust whenever appropriate.
The fuel surcharge ranges from US$2 to US$4 per person per
night and is applicable to all passengers, regardless of cabin
category and type of fare charged and varies from vessel to
vessel as well as the cruise nights. Passengers are advised
to check with their respective travel agents on the applicable
surcharge amount.
The year 2005 will see a nationwide celebration of Britain’s
relationship with the sea, inspired by the 200th anniversary
of the Battle of Trafalgar, with events taking place all over
the country. SeaBritain 2005 is a diverse program of exciting
events and festivals celebrating our maritime heritage and
the many ways in which the sea touches all of our lives. As
a result, ports and cities in England, Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland will host beach competitions, seafood festivals,
water-sports activities, village festivals, parades, arts
and music events, and even an underwater cycle race, all taking
the sea as their inspiration. At its heart will be the Trafalgar
Festival, a series of events with a Nelson theme, marking
the bicentenary of Admiral Lord Nelson’s death, culminating
in the Trafalgar Weekend October 12 to 23, 2005.
The year-long celebration is being planned to raise awareness
of Britain's maritime and coastal heritage as well as recognizing
the contribution made by the sea and seafaring to the UK economy
and culture
The SeaBritain 2005 website at www.seabritain2005.com has
a rapidly growing event planner listing all confirmed events
for 2005. Highlights include the International Festival of
the Sea in Portsmouth, the Liverpool Great River Race, Tall
Ships in Newcastle, Falmouth Oyster Festival, Royal Navy International
Fleet Review, Whitehaven Maritime Festival, Portrush Festival
of the Sea in Northern Ireland, Scottish Traditional Boat
Festival in Portsoy, Anglesey Oyster Festival & Marathon
and Nelson & Napoléon exhibition at Greenwich.
Among the many organizations operating SeaBritain 2005 and
staging events are the National Maritime Museum, VisitBritain,
National Trust, Royal Yachting Association, British Marine
Federation, SeaVision UK, Trinity House and a large number
of other national and local organizations, with the support
of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Islands in the Caribbean hit hard by this year’s hurricanes
are returning to normalcy and once again welcoming the fall/winter
cruise season.
Grenada’s cruise tourism industry got a major boost
when the winter season commenced with the arrival of the Norwegian
Spirit on Tuesday November 9, 2004. This was followed by the
arrival of the C Columbus the following day. These visits
effectively ushered in the winter season, which had a belated
start due to the impact of Hurricane Ivan. For more information
please visit http://www.grenadagrenadines.com / or contact
the Grenada Board of Tourism in the US at (561) 588-8176.
The Cayman Islands (http://www.caymanislands.ky)
are once again welcoming cruise ships as services return to
normal after this summer’s devastating hurricanes.
Swiss travel agencies have voted Seabourn Cruise Line their
favorite cruise company in an annual survey conducted by the
travel magazine Travel Inside. The company received
the first-place Gold Award for its onboard product and for
its service to
agencies. The magazine contacted 1000 Swiss travel agencies
and conducted 716 interviews, a response rate of 74 percent.
Agencies were asked to rate various categories of travel suppliers
based on two criteria: the quality of their product for guests,
and their service to the agencies themselves. Seabourn was
awarded a perfect service score of 100.
The Travel Star Award follows an earlier announcement that
Seabourn was selected as the favorite cruise operator by readers
of the British newspaper The Telegraph.
And readers of American Express’ magazine Departures,
who are American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders,
scored Seabourn higher than any other cruise line
in that publication's annual Luxury Survey earlier this year.
National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions have forged a
strategic alliance to bring innovation to the expedition travel
sector. The new alliance combines the strengths of two pioneers
in exploration and travel, making it possible for more individuals
to become active, engaged explorers. Lindblad's flagship,
M.S. Endeavour, will relaunch as the National
Geographic Endeavour beginning in April 2005, signifying
the beginning of a partnership that brings together the scientific
innovation and expedition leadership that defines the two
organizations.
The alliance includes the following key elements:
-- An education platform that will both enhance the expedition
experience and bring its findings to an audience far beyond
expedition participants;
-- Technological innovations across the Lindblad fleet, with
particular focus on National Geographic’s Endeavour;
where new, state-of-the-art equipment will allow for more
extensive underwater exploration; and
-- An expert advisory panel of world-renowned researchers,
scientists and explorers, including oceanographer and National
Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle and National
Geographic Contributing Photographer-in-Residence Emory Kristof,
which will help shape conservation, research and education
initiatives.
The new advisory panel, made up of more than a dozen National
Geographic experts, will join Lindblad's team to generate
new initiatives regarding research on board ship, local conservation
efforts, scientific data collection, educational programming
and many other topics. A major focus will be in the area of
marine exploration, including supporting scientists on the
shipboard platform; launching National Geographic Crittercam
and rope cam (video and data-logging systems) projects from
the ship; providing opportunities for guest interaction with
National Geographic grantees and scientists on board the ships;
and collaborating on providing enhanced underwater experiences
to travelers through new, state-of-the-art equipment. Expedition
travelers will have opportunities to interact at sea and on
shore with National Geographic explorers, researchers, photographers
and filmmakers along with Lindblad's expedition leaders and
naturalists.
The inaugural voyage of the National Geographic Endeavour,
from Valparaiso, Chile, to the Panama Canal, departs April
1, 2005.
Costa Magica, the eleventh flagship in Costa's fleet,
was christened in Barcelona on November 6. Built by Fincantieri
at its shipyard in Sestri Ponente (Genoa), the ship will spend
the winter-spring season cruising the Mediterranean. From
April to
November 2005 the Costa Magica will also offer a 7-night itinerary
in the
Western Mediterranean, embarking from Civitavecchia (Rome)
with calls to
Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Tunis, Malta, Palermo and Savona
(Genoa).in late October.
In late October Costa announced the name of its 12th newbuild—the
Costa Concordia. The vessel is expected to be delivered
to Costa by Fincantieri shipyard in Sestri P in the summer
of 2006. Costa Concordia will be the biggest passenger cruise
ship in Italian history thanks to a displacement of 112,000
grt, a length of 948 ft. and a maximum capacity of 3,800 guests.
For this latest order, Costa has invested 450 million euros.
Girl friends getaways are gaining ground, according to a recent
independent study conducted by Royal Caribbean International
of more than 1,500 women nationwide. Close to half of the
women surveyed (48 percent) have taken a girlfriends-only
trip in the past three years, and nearly nine out of 10 said
they either have plans for a trip in the near future (33 percent)
or would like to take one (56 percent). “We host more
women than men each year and see many groups of women cruising
to enjoy time together and share new experiences,” said
Dan Hanrahan, senior vice president, Marketing and Sales,
for Royal Caribbean International. “This new survey
confirms this popular trend, and reinforces Royal Caribbean
offers all of the top elements women look for in a getaway
– new destinations to explore, spa treatments, beach
and pool time, and great shopping, dining and nightlife.”
According to the survey, girlfriends on the go are most interested
in sharing a special spa retreat (66 percent), beach vacation
(65 percent), shopping trip (57 percent), cruise (53 percent)
or city visit (42 percent). While where to go is important,
the majority of women in favor of girls-only getaways said
they feel the top reason to take these trips is to bond with
friends and family (70 percent). Other motivations selected
include sharing new experiences (45 percent), exploring new
destinations together (40 percent), taking a break from a
significant other (39 percent), taking a break from work (37
percent), taking a break from kids (35 percent) and celebrating
an important occasion (33 percent).
Despite the fact that a third of women planning or hoping
to get away said they would enjoy a break from their significant
other, 86 percent said that men are the most popular topic
of conversation. Talking about the past came in a close second
at 69 percent, followed by sex (59 percent), children (57
percent) and the future (57 percent).
Although women love to take time to talk and catch up, according
to the survey findings, they also like to stay active. While
dining out was the most popular activity cited (89 percent),
shopping (81 percent), spa sessions (75 percent), beach/pool
activities (73 percent), makeovers (64 percent) and nightlife
(56 percent) also proved popular.
The biggest barriers to bringing girlfriends together, according
to respondents, are finding a time that works for everyone
(85 percent) and selecting a trip to suit all budgets (80
percent). Not in question, however, is what they would pack
differently—more money, more makeup and more clothes.
Old photos of friends on the trip and current photos of loved
ones also are must-haves.
The Girlfriends Getaway survey was conducted online for
Royal Caribbean International by Impulse Research with a random
sample of 1,513 women, all members of the CyberPulseTM Advisory
Panel. The Advisory Panel was carefully selected to closely
match U.S. population demographics. Research was conducted
in August 2004. The overall sampling error for this survey
is +/- 2.5% at the 95% level of confidence.
Celebrity Cruises has joined with MBNA America Bank to create
a comprehensive rewards credit card offering both cruise and
non-cruise vacation benefits, including travel, merchandise
and cash rewards. According to Celebrity, the Celebrity RewardsSM
WorldPoints Visa credit card is designed for people seeking
ways to balance their work and leisure time.
Utilizing WorldPointsSM developed by MBNA, holders of the
Celebrity Rewards WorldPoints Visa credit card will be able
to redeem WorldPoints for travel on major U.S. airlines with
no blackout dates, or for leading hotel and car rental arrangements
in the U.S., as well as for brand-name merchandise and gift
certificates, and unlimited cash rewards for additional vacation
enjoyment.
Cardholders also will receive the following benefits:
* Double points for purchases of Celebrity Cruises vacations
or onboard products and services
* Points for everyday purchases at grocery stores, gas stations
and restaurants, or for recurring monthly bills
* The benefits of "MyConcierge," an exclusive, 24-hour
personal concierge service offering assistance with reservations
at restaurants, tickets to sporting events or theaters, travel
planning, flowers, birthday or other gift orders and special
deliveries.
To apply for the Celebrity Rewards Visa credit card or for
information, call MBNA at (866) GET-MBNA and mention priority
code KN4R or visit www.celebritycreditcard.com
.
Royal Caribbean International and Fisher-Price, Inc. have
big plans for small cruisers. Royal Caribbean, an innovator
in family cruise vacations, and Fisher-Price, a leading brand
of infant and preschool toys worldwide, today announced a
new partnership to develop a series of programs and services
for the line's youngest cruisers and their parents. The first
programs to head to sea will be a series of fun and interactive
educational sessions for children six months to three years
old and their parents, developed by the specialists at Fisher-Price's
famous Play Laboratory. These daily, 45-minute playgroups
offer age-appropriate activities that expose children to new
experiences and teach parents tools for incorporating skill-building
into playtime through storytelling, creative arts, music,
and a variety of Fisher-Price learning toys and games. (Click
Family Cruises for more information.)
Silversea Adds Website Option For Pre-Reserving
Spa Treatments And Tours Guests of Silversea Cruises can now
take advantage of a newly created feature called My Voyage
at the line’s website to schedule appointments for spa
and beauty treatments and pre-reserve shore excursions. The
new feature also provides guests with easy access to itinerary
information for their specific voyage, a virtual tour of the
ship, as well as the ability to register online for Early
Embarkation. “We’re delighted to be able to offer
this new feature at our Web site,” said David Morris,
Silversea’s Senior Vice President, North America Sales.
“With the addition of the ‘My Voyage’ section,
we’re giving our guests a very user-friendly option
that enables them to conveniently schedule a spa treatment
or pre-book tours well in advance of sailing, so that once
they are on board, they don’t have to rush anywhere.
They can just relax and start enjoying their cruise.”
‘To take advantage of the new feature, which is available
60 days prior to sailing, guests (or their travel agents)
can simply visit Silversea’s website at
www.silversea.com , and click on the My Voyage feature.
Guests are then prompted for their name and booking number.
Once guests are logged on, they will have easy access to detailed
information about their particular cruise, shore excursions,
and the spa and beauty treatments offered at the line’s
award-winning Mandara Spa. Appointments for spa and beauty
salon treatments can be made online until 48 hours prior to
sailing.
Shore excursions can be pre-reserved online until seven days
prior to sailing. Both shore tours and spa and salon treatments
can still be booked or scheduled aboard ship after the guest
embarks. Costs for the selected tours and services, including
Early Embarkation, are charged to the guest’s shipboard
account after he or she embarks on the cruise.
Celebrity Cruises is sponsoring Celebrity Spotlight(TM), a
national talent competition in which aspiring singers enter
to win a chance to record the official version of "Fueled
by Moonlight Dust," the line's new theme song, which
was inspired and written by its President & COO Jack Williams,
with songwriters Tom Gross and Aaron Barker. The Celebrity
Spotlight competition will run from November 1, 2004 through
January 7, 2005, and is open to four categories of entrants:
(1) all guests sailing with Celebrity during that period,
(2) Captains Club members, (3) travel agents, and (4) employees
of Celebrity Cruises and sister brand, Royal Caribbean International.
Entrants will sing a song of their choice, as well as their
own rendition of Williams' "Fueled by Moonlight Dust."
A panel of music industry experts will select three finalists
from each of the four groups and fly them to Fort Lauderdale,
Fla., for the final event onboard the cruise line's Summit,
February 18, 2005, followed by a gala celebration at a local
venue. During the final event, a panel of celebrity judges
will listen to the 12 finalists and vote for their favorite.
The grand prize winner will receive $10,000, a Celebrity cruise
for two, and the opportunity to record the official version
of the theme song. Three runners-up (one from each category)
also will receive a Celebrity cruise for two. For more information
on the contest and to obtain the song lyrics, visit the Celebrity
website at http://www.celebrity.com/songcontes.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced that net income for
the third quarter of 2004 was $282.5 million, or $1.33 per
share. This compares to $191.9 million, or $0.97 per share,
for the third quarter of 2003. Revenues for the third quarter
of 2004 increased 23.7% to $1.4 billion from revenues of $1.1
billion in the third quarter of 2003. The increase in revenues
was attributable to a 10.8 percent increase in capacity coupled
with an increase in cruise ticket prices and onboard revenues.
Gross Yields for the third quarter of 2004 increased 11.7
percent from the third quarter of 2003. Net Yields, which
the company considers a better measure of revenue performance,
increased 12.8 percent from the third quarter of 2003. As
a result, Net Yields for the quarter not only returned to
pre-9/11 levels, but also surpassed levels reached in the
third quarter of 2000 and 1999. Occupancy reached 109.0%,
up from 107.7% in the third quarter of 2003, which approaches
levels achieved in 2000 of 109.7%.
The company also reported that advanced booking volumes continue
to be encouraging. Both pricing and load factors for the fourth
quarter of 2004 are ahead of the same time last year. Accordingly,
the company forecasts that Net Yields for the fourth quarter
of 2004 will increase in the range of four to five percent,
compared to the same period last year. As a result, the company
expects Net Yields for the full year 2004 to increase approximately
nine percent from the prior year.
The company noted several developments that occurred during
the third quarter of 2004:
* A unique series of hurricanes hit Florida and several important
Caribbean island destinations. While some storm activity is
not unusual, this series of storms was exceptionally disruptive
because of a unique combination of their path, their speed
and their timing. Not only was this season the most costly
in the company's 33-year history, it was worse than all the
previous seasons combined. Lost revenue and extra costs associated
with these hurricanes impacted the company's third quarter
earnings by $0.10 per share.
* A French-built propulsion pod on Celebrity's GTS Summit
failed, necessitating an emergency drydocking of the vessel.
* The company exercised its option to build a second Ultra-Voyager
ship at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Finland, to be delivered
in the spring of 2007. The two Ultra-Voyager ships will be
approximately 15 percent larger than their Voyager-class predecessors,
with a double occupancy capacity of approximately 3,600 passengers.
Celebrity To Expand Its Concierge Class On Millennium-Class
Ships'
High demand for Celebrity Cruises' ConciergeClass category
of plush veranda stateroom accommodations has led the line
to expand it across its Millennium-class fleet just one year
after its introduction. Beginning in 2005, the number of Celebrity
ConciergeClass staterooms will more than double, from 100
to 228 staterooms per ship on Constellation, Infinity,
Millennium and Summit. Formerly classified as
categories 1A and 1B, "premium ocean-view with veranda"
staterooms, each ConciergeClass stateroom is 191 square feet
with a 41-square-foot veranda.
service breakfast menu designed exclusively for ConciergeClass
guests.
Celebrity Cruises Presents Proprietary Wine Series
Celebrity Cruises has introduced a line of proprietary wines
to complement its award-winning cuisine: the Celebrity Cruises
Cellarmaster Selection(TM). Celebrity also is pioneering the
use of the Internet to make it possible for adult consumers
to order the wine for home consumption, where permitted by
state and local laws. A full-service Web site, http://www.celebrityvineyards.com,
enables consumers to preview, purchase and pay for the wine,
and track their orders from any Internet-connected PC. Past
guests and travel agents will be offered special pricing in
appreciation for their loyalty.
The first two varietals, a 2002 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
and a 2001 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, will be available
onboard every ship in the fleet this month, with additional
products scheduled to follow shortly.
The company's intensive product development process paired
leading wine makers with Celebrity's shipboard chefs, sommeliers
and shoreside Food and Beverage colleagues, who secured grapes
from some of the most highly regarded appellations in the
world. Dozens of wines were sampled, with several blends refined
numerous times. Third-party tasters were engaged to provide
an independent perspective.
Befitting the ultimate voyage, Dame Julie Andrews will kick
off Crystal Cruises' tenth annual World Cruise departing Los
Angeles on January 15, 2005. The celebrated actress, songstress,
author, director and godmother of Crystal Serenity returns
as a celebrity guest to the luxury ship she christened in
July 2003. Dozens of other noted entertainers and lecturers
will join the grand odyssey, while over 300 Crystal Adventures
ashore (including 36 new tours) have been set for the 101-day
"Empires of the Sun" World Cruise. (Click Cruise
Itinerary News/Offers for the details,)
Royal Caribbean International has launched a new Spanish-language
web site for Spanish-speaking travelers who prefer to plan
their vacation in their primary language. The new site http://www.royalcaribbeanenespanol.com
provides a colorful and concise resource for the growing number
of Internet-savvy Hispanic travelers. "Recent research
studies show that by the year 2007, nearly nine percent of
all Internet users in the United States will be Hispanic,"
said Dan Hanrahan, senior vice president, Marketing and Sales,
for Royal Caribbean International. "We are pleased to
launch a site that simplifies the information gathering and
planning process for this important market. We have seen the
number of Hispanic travelers cruising with us continue to
grow and want to ensure that they have an outstanding experience
with our brand, starting with their very first contact with
us online."
Royal Caribbean's new Spanish web site is divided into
several helpful and easy-to-navigate sections. Primera
Vez en un Crucero? (First Time on a Cruise?) provides first-timers
an overview of cruising, from what's included to what happens
during the cruise. The Barcos (Ships) section outlines the
exciting features of Royal Caribbean's fleet, considered the
most innovative in the industry, while Actividades
(Activities) shares the wide variety of entertainment, dining
and sporting options available, from rock climbing and ice
skating to enjoying the spas, casinos and specialty restaurants.
The Crucero Familiar" (Family Cruising) section spotlights
why a Royal Caribbean cruise is an ideal choice for families
traveling with younger children. The Destino (Destinations)
section describes the beautiful ports of call to be discovered
on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Site visitors also can view these
destinations as well as Royal Caribbean's ships in motion
in the Nuestros Comerciales (Our Commercials) section,
which previews the line's entertaining, Spanish-language commercials.
The web site will continue to be updated and expanded throughout
2005. Royal Caribbean also offers a Spanish-language information
line in the US at 1-800-974-7225.
Silversea Cruises has selected internationally renowned actress,
model and author Isabella Rossellini to be its first-ever
Ambassador. Celebrated for her timeless beauty, Rossellini
will soon appear in Silversea’s print ads and brochures,
as seen through the lens of Fabrizio Ferri, acclaimed photographer
of Vanity Fair and Vogue. Rossellini will collaborate with
Ferri aboard Silversea ships, and in exotic destinations,
to create a photographic journal of her travels, giving particular
expression to the unique sensations and emotions associated
with the line’s award-winning concept of ultra-luxury
cruising. Daughter Elettra Wiedemann, a burgeoning model in
her own right, will occasionally join Rossellini on her cruises.
“We asked Isabella because she is the ideal personification
of Silversea’s exclusive standard of elegance, glamour
and sophistication,” said Barbara Muckermann, Silversea’s
Senior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Communications.
“Being Swedish and Italian and living in New York, she
is especially qualified to represent Silversea’s international
flavor and Italian heritage.” Added Muckermann, “During
her travels with us, Isabella will become part of our family,
making her ‘home away from home’ aboard each of
our ships in a suite she will personally select, which will
be renamed The Rossellini Suite, and customized and refurbished
to her liking during the course of 2005.”
Recognizing that authentic luxury is often simply a scent,
a texture, an image or a taste that stirs the emotions and
deepens one’s enjoyment of life, Silversea is launching
additional partnerships with companies whose acclaimed products
and services will provide its guests with an exclusive experience
of the very best that life can offer. These new alliances
will complement Silversea’s existing partnerships with
such prestigious companies as Relais & Châteaux—Relais
Gourmands and Davidoff.
The new luxury alliances include Acqua di Parma, producer
of fragrances; FAI/The Italian National Trust, which protects
many of Italy’s cultural treasures; Italian Factory,
which represents contemporary Italian artists; Loro Piana,
maker of luxury fabrics; and Viking Range, manufacturer of
luxury kitchen appliances, which will introduce the first
Viking School of Cooking at sea.
According to press reports, the Norwegian-controlled shipbuilder
Aker Yards has announced plans to axe 700 jobs across its
Finnish operations after their merger in the New Year with
Kvaerner Masa-Yards despite improved anticipated revenues
of NKr12bn ($1.89bn) for 2004. The Oslo-listed shipbuilding
group announced the job reductions as it revealed it would
make savings of €20m ($26m) a year from its plans to
restructure its Finnish operations. The job cuts will also
come as a severe blow for the 4,600 strong Aker Yards workforce
in Finland, which looked as if it had averted hundreds of
shipyard lay-offs in the New Year following a spate of recent
high-profile orders.
