February

Port Rashid/AMEinfo
The rapid growth of cruise tourism out of Dubai has seen a significant increase in the number of cruise liners and passengers using the facilities at Port Rashid - VIDEO - . On the day with the official opening of a new terminal and the inauguration of a new liner in the Costa fleet Phil Blizzard spoke to Hamad Mohammed Bin Mejren, Executive Director, Business Tourism, Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DT&CM).

It started small in 1990 with a single voyage on a tiny ship. But 20 years later, lesbian cruise company Olivia has become a major force in the industry, regularly chartering vessels that hold 2,000 passengers on more for all-lesbian vacations at sea. The San Francisco-based company, which has branched out into land vacations, too, currently has 14 trips in the works, including five for 2010 that already are sold out. What is an Olivia cruise all about - Video - , and what does the future hold for what's billed as the world's largest company catering solely to lesbians? With a celebratory 20th Anniversary Olivia cruise headlined by the Indigo Girls set to kick off Sunday. Read Interview in USAToday here...

Muscat, Oman
Giving a big boost to Oman’s tourism, especially its cruise ship tourism, a state-of-the-art 2.7m rials passenger cruise ship terminal was inaugurated at the bustling Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat on Saturday. The new facility is expected to ensure fast and easy handling of cruise liners to offer maximum comfort to passengers with many facilities similar to those available at airport terminals. From just eight cruise ship arrivals totalling 3,450 passengers in 2003, Oman’s cruise ship tourism has come of age with around 120 cruise ships and 300,000 passengers expected in 2010-11 season which lasts between October and April. There were a total of 219,209 tourists in 2009 as compared to 138,927 in 2008 and 89,721 in 2007. Around 84 cruise vessels had called at Port Sultan Qaboos last year. more...

The SV Concordia, of the West Island College Class Afloat program in Montreal, was carrying 63 people when it went down about 500 kilometres from Rio de Janeiro. The ship sails out of Lunenburg, N.S. The 42 Canadians onboard consisted of a mix of 11th and 12th grade high school students, first-year university students and professional crew members. "All crew and passengers have been recovered and are uninjured. This is good news," said Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon in a statement Friday morning. "I thank Brazilian authorities who led a search and rescue operation and acted swiftly to assist the ship and its passengers." All those on the ship were able to board life rafts and were later picked up by three merchant ships in the area. From there they will be transferred to a Brazilian navy ship and taken to shore.

Dubai, UAE
The emirate's elite bristle at such reports. Dubai's ruler has repeatedly blamed his sheikdom's tarnished image on a foreign media out to embarrass the emirate. Meanwhile, the question of how Dubai will cover its debts remains. Dubai has received $20 billion in emergency funds from its oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi, which also hosts the capital of the United Arab Emirates, a seven-state federation of which Dubai is part. That money, said to be in the form of loans, was put into a "financial support fund" intended to prop up Dubai's many state-linked companies, such as Dubai World and its troubled property development division Nakheel. More high-profile assets could also go, particularly trophy purchases such as the QE2, which Dubai bought for about $100 million in 2007. It was slated to become a luxury hotel off one of Dubai's manmade palm islands, but now languishes in  downtown port Rashid, awaiting renovation. Various sources claim, that she is up for sale now.

Is the cruise industry getting naughtier? Or is it just that America is, and the cruise industry is following along? Few developments in the cruise world in recent months have gotten as much media play as the debut of the first 'cougar cruise' at sea --  a three-night romp that took place in December on a Carnival ship. YOLO Cruises president Marlene Brustle told USA TODAY at the time the idea was to offer swingers -- people who embrace non-monogamous sexual experiences -- a chance to get away with like minded people in "an open, erotic atmosphere . . .The Swinger Cruises

The Catholic News Service is reporting the Catholic Church plans to issue new guidelines for priests serving on cruise ships that, among other things, forbid them from performing weddings while at sea. The news service says regional directors of the Church's Apostleship of the Sea program meeting at the Vatican on Feb. 9 ratified the new guidelines, which authorize priests to offer blessings for newlyweds or couples celebrating wedding anniversaries on ships but not to marry them outright. more....

Pam Beach Post
Though shoaled in bankruptcy court, management told employees it plans to sail the hobbled ship to the earthquake-ravaged nation next week to make money assisting the international relief effort, most likely as a floating hotel for aid workers. Foreign crew members were told they may either serve out their employment contracts in Haiti — typically one-year agreements that pay, at most, a few hundred dollars a month, plus tips — or pay their own way back to their home countries. more...

MIAMI, Feb. 9
Effective immediately, Discovery is introducing its new All-Inclusive Cruise product with two all-you-can-eat buffet meals on the roundtrip cruise and all-you-can-drink alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on the ship for one low price, starting from $49.99 per person for the Fun Day cruise.  Two day, one night cruises are available for only $20 more, from $69.99 per person.  Surcharges of $35 apply to all passengers and certain restrictions apply. Discovery Cruise Line offers Fun Day All-Inclusive cruises to Grand Bahama Island every day except Wednesdays and will now be offering a way for groups to add a fifth person free.  According to Hanns J. Hahn, General Manager of Discovery, "All you have to do is put your party of five together and the fifth person is free.  We want our passengers to enjoy our new All-Inclusive concept but customer safety is a priority for us.  This provides your party the opportunity of having a designated driver at no additional cost." - Video -

The prospect of an Indian cruise venture - potentially similar to the P&O Cruises Australia offshoot - was raised by the global cruise giant's chairman and CEO Micky Arison. Speaking to TravelMole in an exclusive video interview, he pointed out that no decisions had yet been made on establishing a cruise business dedicated to the burgeoning Indian leisure travel sector.Louis Cruise line failed, but they had a venture with local interests and aimed to carry only indians. The P&O scenario Mickey is touting, is similar to Costa's Chinese engagement. Initially aimed at Chinese, it also failed and the ships are now marketed mainly around the Globe, with a few Chinese here and there.

Dubai,UAE
It is the first time ever, that Royal Caribbean has positioned a cruise ship in Dubai. the response is very good and already RCI has announced they will redeploy the ship next Winter as well. AMEinfo, a local Dubai Business Information service, has visited the Brillance of the Seas and has produced several Video episodes, which you can view here...

World Leaders Travel has chartered Silversea Cruises ms Silver Wind:
Join world leaders and distinguished dignitaries, including former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, aboard the luxurious, all-suite Silver Wind to explore the unique history and cultural influences of Russia and the Black Sea region. Delve into issues ranging from Russia’s ever-evolving relations with the West, the proliferation and containment of nuclear weapons, the struggle between Russia and her former satellite states, independence movements of potential breakaway republics, and the significance and strategic importance of natural resources in the Caucasus region. On this journey that begins in Moscow and ends in Istanbul, travelers will meet with prominent government and business leaders, engage experts during a rich educational program and exclusive excursions, enjoy private access to historical sites and specially arranged performances, and take advantage of the many amenities aboard one of the world’s finest cruise ships.

USAToday
Among the major North American-based brands coming out with new vessels in 2010 are Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Holland America and Celebrity Cruises, and European lines MSC Cruises - Video -  and Costa Cruises also are expanding with one new ship a piece. Ordered several years ago when the economy was booming, the new crop of vessels are, in many cases, sisters to already existing ships. Holland America, for instance, is rolling out a twin to its two-year-old Eurodam, while Celebrity is unveiling the third in its popular Solstice Class series. Royal Caribbean, meanwhile, is coming out with a copy of the much-ballyhooed, two-month-old Oasis of the Seas - the world's largest ship.  read more...