Margehra, Italy
During the launch ceremony COSTA announced the name of the sister ship of the Costa Luminosa, which is scheduled to enter service in spring 2010: it is going to be called the Costa Deliziosa. The first section of this liner was built in the Ancona shipyard and subsequently towed to Marghera, where her keel will be laid on July 3. Costa’s fleet expansion program includes the introduction of 5 new ships by 2012, all built in Italy by Fincantieri for a total investment worth 2.4 billion euros.
In addition to the Costa Pacifica, Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa, two sister ships of the Costa Pacifica will enter service in spring 2011 and 2012. The Costa Cruises fleet will then be 17-strong and able to carry some 46,400 Guests, an increase of 50 percent on present capacity. More >>>>
London/Spain, 27 June 2008
Earthrace, the world’s fastest eco-boat, is due to cross the finish line and smash the world record for a powerboat to circumnavigate the globe at 14:00hrs local Spanish time (13:00hrs British Summer Time) today.
The boat is currently thundering towards Sagunto, Spain in the final moments of its world record journey, and is due to break the record by almost 2 weeks.
More >>>> London
Travel professionals believe cruise lines will follow the lead of the airlines and scrap commission payments. Speaking at a YouTravel.com/Travelmole industry debate, homeworking agent Audrey Singh said it was already difficult for agents to compete with the deals available online. Freeways Travel sales director Ben Braude predicted: “In the future cruise companies will only have nett fares; they are five years behind the airlines in dropping commission payments.” YouTravel.com sales and marketing director Paul Riches agreed. “It is going to go the same way as the States where almost all prices are nett.”
London
Sammy Ofer, a Romanian-born Israeli who served with the Royal Navy as a young man, has given £3.3 million to complete the renovation of the 1869 clipper in Greenwich. The gift - the biggest to the project - comes three months after Mr Ofer, who lives in Monaco, gave £20 million to the National Maritime Museum. Now the project is back on course for completion in March 2010. The Cutty Sark the world last Tea Clipper, will "float" nine feet above the bottom of her dry berth. The space underneath will become a gallery for evening functions. The trust intends to name the gallery after Mr Ofer.
More >>> Copenhagen/Miami
Denmark’s Clipper Group has acquired a 50% stake in International Maritime Services, the parent of US-based passenger ship manager International Shipping Partners (ISP). No financial terms were disclosed. The remaining 50% will continue to be controlled by ISP’s management. The ISP group, which manages 25 vessels, says it will continue as a third-party management company within all aspects of passenger shipping.
“There will be no change in ISP’s strategy, management, or the day-to-day operation of the company,” the Florida based company said. The acquisition comes as Clipper continues its further expansion into the cruise segment, viewing this particular area as one with great potential and an existing future.
Clipper owns 14 ships in the cruise segment, ranging from river cruise ves¬sels, and expedition vessels to premium and luxury cruise ships.
Over the last year, Clipper has been aggressively cementing its place in the cruise arena, acquiring eleven of its vessels during this time. Clipper has always had a very close working relationship with ISP, who, to date, have taken the role of commercial as well as technical managers of Clipper’s cruise fleet.
Source:Tradewind Aurora Expeditions offers travellers the chance to experience the rich cultural heritage and unspoilt nature of Papua New Guinea with two new adventure cruises in 2009. Aurora has added some exciting new stops to its itineraries, exploring some of the least visited regions of this fascinating country.
These two distinct 11-day voyages go in search of the unexpected. In 2009 Aurora will be the only cruise vessel to visit the remote Admiralty Islands, the stunning Kamiali wildlife reserve and the isolated splendour of Tingwon and Woodlark Islands. On board the 100-passenger expedition ship Marina Svetaeva, spacious viewing decks and a fleet of Zodiacs make her an excellent vessel for an in-depth exploration of PNG’s hidden bays and striking coral reefs. On board, guests have the added options of kayaking and scuba diving in PNG’s azure waters or taking exhilarating helicopter rides to explore inland. As with all Aurora cruises, emphasis is placed on a combination of interactive experiences with the environment and a strong educational element. Assisted by a lecturers, these expeditions aim to provide give a genuine insight into a traditional lifestyle that has changed little in centuries. WASHINGTON
Cruise ships are expected to carry 12.6 million Americans on vacations this year, but those travelers would be hard pressed to find basic information about crimes and accidents that happen aboard those vessels, two senators said yesterday.
The complaint came during a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing on ways to improve cruise ship safety and reporting standards, including giving more help to sexual assault victims, putting law enforcement officers on board and creating a public registry of cruise ship crimes. more >>>> Watch this Video and see what the next generation of mega ships has to offer:
Casinos, Spas, Indoor cafe, Solariums, Interactive Television, Miniature Golf, Royal Promenade, Ice Skating, Rock Climbing, H2O Zone, Boxing Ring, Flow Rider, Green Spaces. Royal Caribbean continues the tradition of cutting edge breakthroughs in ship design with Oasis of the Sea Russian side intends to launch a cruise line along the Caspian Sea for the first time in the history in spring of 2009, said Gennady Pilipenko, chief of department for development of internal tourism and state tourism projects of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency (Rosturizm). He said the voyage starts in Astrakhan and in seven days the tourists will be able to visit Daghestan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. He said the motor ship, owned by the Caspian cruise lines shipping company, built in 1974, ice-boat like Maria Yermolova is intended for 216 tourists.
"It passed the first test voyage along the Caspian Sea successfully in autumn of the last year and we hope the cruise along the Caspian Sea will become regular in spring of 2009. The littoral states displayed interest in it and Kazakh businessmen even made an attempt to purchase the motor ship", said Pilipenko. LONDON (MarketWatch)
ABN Amro took a hatchet to its European travel and leisure sector ratings, cutting sector EPS for 2009/2010 by 16%, bringing it 15% below consensus estimates. "We find it hard to believe that demand (volume or price) from the business and/or leisure consumer will not reduce over the next 12 months; western GDP trends are slowing, business activity is softening, the credit cycle has turned, and consumer balance sheets are in many cases over-leveraged, particularly in the U.K. We, therefore, believe that a period of slower demand is likely," the broker said Carnival CCL and royal Caribbean RCL were downgraded to hold from buy! more >>>
London
Along with many onlookers and well-wishers, Silversea Chairman Manfredi
Lefebvre and President and CEO Amerigo Perasso were both present on the
pier to see the company's latest innovative venture take up her challenge to be the world's first ultra-luxury expedition ship.
Fresh from a multimillion dollar renovation, the Lloyd's Register 1A ice-rated Prince Albert II weighs just 6,072 gross tons and will accommodate a maximum of 132 guests with a 1:1.2 crew-to-guest ratio. Silversea is a provisional member of the Association of ArcticExpedition Cruise Operators (AECO), dedicated to managing respectable, environmentally friendly and safe expedition cruising in the Arctic. The company has also joined the International Association of Antarctic TourOperators (IAATO). This important organization promotes and practices safe and environmentally responsible travel to Antarctica. In addition, Silversea plans to voluntarily adopt and apply similar operating procedures in all other destinations where the Prince Albert II will operate.
Höganäs, Sweden
A "mother ship" capable of launching a fleet of smaller vessels is among maritime designs of the future unveiled in London.
Created by Tillberg Design AB, whose work has included designs for the QE2 and the Queen Mary 2, the mother ship design was shown off on Tuesday night at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, south London by the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA).
Tillberg's senior architect Fredrik Johansson has also created a space-efficient ferry. "These designs are ships of the future, with natural timeless materials and a crisp contemporary design. The new generation ferries and cruise ships will have a distinct identity throughout - from the exterior and interior design through to the on-board activities, food concepts and shore excursions.
"They are aimed at the next generation of youthful, design-savvy and environmentally conscious passenger who we now see entering the market."
Value World Tours is building a new river boat. This brand new river cruise ship, built specifically for sailing the Mekong Delta, will take a select number of pioneering minded passengers from Vietnam’s vibrant Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), to the gorgeous Temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in superior comfort and in a leisurely 10 days/9 nights.
Her completion date is set for July 2008 and her launch date is scheduled for October, 2008 Panama City, Panama Disney Cruise Line has paid a record US$331,200 for one of its ships to cross the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal Authority says the 964-foot (295-meter) ms Disney Magic made the crossing Ma Canal authorities said Tuesday that the previous record fee paid by any ship was US$317,142, set on May 7 by the cargo vessel "MSC Fabienne." The high for a cruiser was US$313,000, set last October by two Norwegian Cruise Line ships.
Watch Live Video stream of Disney Magic transiting the Locks >>>>
Amadeus Waterways has changed its name to AMA Waterways. The award-winning European river cruise line has taken this step to align the company's name with its highly-rated fleet of "AMA" vessels operating on the Continent's legendary rivers. Beginning with the 2006 launch of the MS Amadagio, the line has steadily expanded its "AMA" fleet to include the MS Amalegro (2007), MS Amacello (2008) and MS Amadante (2008). The MS Amalyra and MS Amadolce will join the fleet in 2009, while another two "AMA" vessels are scheduled to debut in 2010. Beatrice Muller is looking for a new home. Ideally, it should be within easy reach of shops, a ballroom and a community of committed duplicate bridge players. She does not need much space, nor is she fixed on any particular location. Indeed, her chief wish is that her new home be perpetually floating over the ocean between one location and the next.
In November the ship will make its final voyage to Dubai to be moored beside a man-made island in the shape of a palm tree, and recast as a floating hotel. Even at the age of 89, Mrs Muller refuses to contemplate such a stationary life. “What would I want to do that for?” she said this week, while her home was moored at Southampton. “I was married to a wonderful man for 57 years. I have done my penal servitude – I want to travel.”
Read more from The Times >>>>>>> Belfast
A WOMAN has been dramatically plucked from the water after she tripped and plunged from the gangway of a luxury cruise ship docked in Belfast.
The woman, who was a passenger on the Celebrity Century cruise liner, is believed to have fallen while talking and walking backwards.The incident happened on Wednesday at Belfast Lough.An Australian member of the luxury liner's crew dived into the water at Stormont Wharf and rescued the woman before officers from Belfast Harbour Police arrived to administer first aid. more >>>> SEATTLE, June 6 /PRNewswire
Guests on Holland America Line ships will be able to "show and tell" their vacation memories when the companies launch Holland America Line Digital Workshop powered by Microsoft Windows on the ms Amsterdam and the ms Oosterdam, followed by the ms Westerdam in June and the line's new Signature-class, 2,104-passenger ship, the ms Eurodam, in July, expanding fleet wide within 18 months. Free workshops led by Microsoft-trained "techsperts" will show even the most novice camera or computer user how to take better vacation photos, make movies, edit pictures and create scrapbooks using a variety of Microsoft Windows and Windows Live services. Guests will learn how to share all their digital memories through email, blogging and social networking -- so friends and family can see where they've been cruising even before they return home. More >>>> Daily News, N.Y.A
Bronx woman says perverts turned her Bahamian cruise into a shipwreck, opening her cabin door as she slept naked and grabbing her buttocks on a dance floor.Jenate Taetz, 27, and her boyfriend, Vlane Carter, 34, said they were sleeping at about 8 a.m. on April 28, when an employee opened their locked door. "I heard noises in the hallway and started to wake up," said Taetz, who has a 9-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter. "I sat up and looked and the guy's standing there with my door wide open staring at me." Miami
Six Carnival Corp. North American brands are raising their fuel supplement from $7 to $9 per person, per day for the first two people in a cabin, not to exceed $126 per person. The amount for third, fourth and fifth passengers goes from $2 to $4 per person, per day, not to exceed $56 per person.
The increased amount applies to new bookings as of June 12 for Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn.
Carnival Corp. first announced a fuel supplement of $5 on Nov. 7, then raised the amount to $7 on April 7 for new bookings as of April 21.
If the supplement sticks, it could add $120m of revenue, or .6% to .7% of net yield to 2009 earnings and 15 cents to earnings per share, said Wachovia analyst Tim Conder in a note. Carinival Stock price >>> Hurtigruten will operate just one ship in Antarctica next season instead of its two-vessel deployment of recent years, Seatrade Insider has learned.
Nordnorge is being redeployed to the Norwegian coastal route, a Hurtigruten spokesman confirmed. He explained the company has more than a century-old contractual obligation to operate 11 vessels on the coastal voyage, and one of its older ships is being sold. - Fram will operate Hurtigruten’s 2008/09 Antarctica program on its own, offering 13-day and 17-day adventures.
As recently as 1958, more people crossed the Atlantic Ocean by ocean liner than by airplane. But those Atlantic cruises are rising again in popularity -- particularly at a time when airline service is deteriorating.
So much so that one member of the Cruise Line International Alliance offers crossings on a regular basis between New York and the UK.
“Fourteen other cruise lines offer transatlantic crossings in the fall and spring, as ships are repositioned between the Americas and Europe. Several companies also offer transpacific crossings, usually as segments of longer voyages to Asia and the Pacific. And, of course, both the Atlantic and the Pacific are major features of the many world cruises offered by CLIA members between January and May each year,” according to CLIA.
“They have the strongest appeal for passengers who are passionate about being on a ship at sea,” CLIA says.
A campaign group, the QE2 Consortium, is lobbying the UK government, hoping to block the export of works of art on board the 40-year-old cruise liner. They claim some of the ship's contents, including several paintings of the UK royal family, are of "national and historic importance" and should be covered by individual export licences, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Dubai World bought the QE2 last year for around $100m, and plans to anchor it off Palm Jumeirah and run it as a hotel, resort and museum. Carol Marlow, the president and managing director of Cunard Line, says: "The ship is sold with all her memorabilia and artifacts intact. We ensured all the legal paperwork was in place as the QE2 is a museum in its own right."
Kippreport >>> Genova
Costa Cruises plans a double float out of two news ships at the same time next month. The 2,828-passenger Costa Luminosa and the 3,780-passenger Costa Pacifica are to be launched on the same day at two Fincantieri ship yards in Italy. The double float out is set for June 27. Costa Luminosa is due for delivery at the end of April 2009, with Costa Pacifica the following month. The arrival of the two new vessels will bring the number of ships in the Costa fleet to 14, with total passenger capacity of approximately 36,000, confirming its position as the biggest in Europe, according to the company.Costa’s fleet expansion covers five new ships, including Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica, due to enter service by 2012 with a total investment of almost €2.4 billion. The five new vessels will result in a 50% increase in the size of the Costa fleet, which by 2012 will be 17-strong with a total passenger capacity of 46,400. |
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