Headlines
Port News & Itineraries
Inside the
Industry
News from Worldwide
Return to top
Special Features:
Coming up in November - The EIBTM Show in Barcelona, Spain -
doors open on November 28th and runs through November 30th,
closely followed by the SITE International conference also
to be held in Barcelona.
Get your
discounted entry pass here, also make make an appointment to meet our staff
on booth N650. To set up a meeting with any of our
team - click here.
A sad tale of a missed cruise, major
family disappointment and loss of over $6000.
I was recently in Port Everglades to see off
one of our corporate cruise programs. As our final
guests prepared to complete their boarding documentation a
family of 6 arrived in a fluster. It appears their flight
was late getting into Miami then their shuttle got caught in
heavy traffic on the way up to Fort Lauderdale and they
really thought they would miss their cruise ship. As
it turned out - they did miss their cruise - but not for the
reason they feared.
The group started handing over their personal
identification documents only to discover that they where
expecting to depart the country on just their driving
permits. The cruise line desk clerk pointed out that
this was not sufficient or acceptable ID and they need
either a passport or a birth certificate with a raised seal.
None of the group had any other form of id so
they were denied boarding.
The mother of the group went in hysterics,
saying she had been saving for years to treat the family to
this cruise. They had flow down from the North and had
no hotel room or any back-up and that if the cruise line was
going to deny them boarding she wanted he money back.
The desk clerk pointed out that in the back
of their document package it was clearly stated which
documents where required and besides it was not the cruise
line that made the rule it was Home Land Security and they
should take it up with them. Plus their cruise document
stated that the cruise line would not return cruise fares
for non-boarding..
A very unpleasant scene ensued which ended
with security escorting the family away.
Moral being - get yourself a passport - even
if you never use it - at least you will have it should a
trip opportunity arise.
Two great value Buy-in's
Worldwide is able to offer you these two unique
opportunities - on an exclusive basis. Call us for
details.
Headlines
Return to top
Seabourn Cruise
Line announced that it will build two new, ultra luxury
ships, for delivery in spring 2009 and 2010
Seabourn, a division
of Miami-based Carnival Corporation & plc (has signed a
letter of intent for the project with shipbuilder T.
Mariotti S.p.A. of Genoa, Italy. The sister ships will have
an all-in U.S. dollar cost of $250 million each.
Each of the 32,000-GRT ships will accommodate all guests in
225 luxury suites, ninety percent of which will offer
private verandas. Combined, the two vessels will more than
double Seabourn’s current fleet capacity of 624 berths.
The letter of intent to build the ships is subject to a
number of conditions including definitive contracts,
financing and other terms.
The vessels have been specifically designed to enable
Seabourn’s award-winning staff to deliver the highly
personalized service experience that is a hallmark of the
brand. “They will be spacious, with the sleek lines and
relaxed, personal feel of an oversized yacht,” Natansohn
said. “We’ve essentially taken the signature elements of our
existing yachts and added some exciting new features that
the larger hulls will allow.”
The design specifications call for hulls 650 feet long, with
a beam of 84 feet and a draft of 21 feet. The ships will be
powered by diesel-generated electricity and operate with
twin screw propellers, with a service speed of 19 knots.
They will be equipped with two bow thrusters to enhance
maneuverability and two stabilizers. The ships will also be
“green ships” employing advanced wastewater treatment
technology.
Holland America Line will name its
new
2,044-passenger Signature-class ship, ms Eurodam.
To be
delivered in summer 2008, the new Eurodam marks Holland America Line’s
next class of vessels and the largest ever constructed for the premium
line. With an estimated all-in cost of $450 million, the new 86,000-ton
Panamax Eurodam will be built at Italian ship builder Fincantieri’s
Marghera shipyard. This will be the 80th passenger ship to sail in the
company’s fleet and the first ship in our illustrious history to bear
the name Eurodam
Return to top
RCI's Majesty of The Seas to under
going major refurbishment
Majesty of the Seas will go into dry dock
from January 12 through February 9, 2007 for renovations
which will extend to every part of the ship. The popular
2,744 passenger ship was launched in April of 1992 and has
been operating shorter cruises for RCI.
Carnival Liberty hit with norovirus on her return
Atlantic crossing
.
Local press recently announced that as
many as 700 passengers and crew had come down with a
suspected norovirus during the ships trans-Atlantic passage.
A team from the Department of Health where to meet this ship
in St.Maarten to assist in cleaning up.
More recent news however suggests that the situation has
improved dramatically with no new crew cases and only 4 new
passengers cases.
Currently the number of passengers in isolation is down 10
and three crew members. The cruise line said that after the
start of the voyage, it was determined that at least two
passengers were sick with gastrointestinal illness just
prior to the cruise and sought medical treatment in Rome
before boarding the ship.
Carnival Cruise Lines said it will shorten the next voyage
to allow time for thorough sanitizing. The six-day Caribbean
cruise scheduled for Nov. 19 will instead sail on Nov. 21,
with stops at Key West and Cozumel. Carnival plan to
reimburse passengers who take the
four-day itinerary with a 50% refund of the cruise fare paid
for the six-day voyage a 50% discount on a future cruise.
Those who cancel will get a full refund.
Oceania completes financing to buy its
ships
Oceania Cruises completed a $400m bank debt offering and
used the proceeds to buy its three ships, previously leased
from Cruiseinvest LLC, for a total cost of $375m. The credit
facilities consist of a $300m six-year loan, a $75m
seven-year loan and a $25m five-year revolving credit
facility. UBS Securities and Lehman Brothers acted as
financial advisers and underwrote the credit facilities with
a syndicate of North American and European financial
institutions.
Oceania will now assume full ownership and management
responsibilities for the 684-passenger Regatta, Insignia and
Nautica. The company said no changes will be made to
on-board operations. Also, V.Ships Leisure will continue as
marine and technical managers for the fleet, and ICS, a
subsidiary of Miami-based Apollo Ship Chandlers, will
continue to provide hotel services.
By acquiring the ships, the company expects to reduce
overall capital expenditures and operational costs, which
will positively impact EBITDA going forward. The
company is positioned to enter its next growth phase and can
now focus on fleet expansion.
Port & Itinerary News
Tauck at Sea
2007 launch in Australia
Travel the World, the gsa for Tauck World Discovery in
Australia, is currently distributing the 2007 Tauck at Sea
brochure to the agency network. TTW’s national sales
manager, Jonathan Sharp, said the product launch coincides
with a number of major travel agency shows around the
country.
Tauck has a strong repeat passenger base in Australia and
Sharp believes next year’s new itineraries will appeal to
this market. They include an 11-night ‘Istanbul and the
Black Sea’ programme that features a seven-night voyage
aboard Le Levant and a total of four pre- and post-sailing
nights at the Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul.
There is ‘A Week in The Mediterranean’ which includes a
night at Le Meridien Phoenicia in Valletta before joining
the 60-passenger Le Ponant in Grand Harbour for a voyage to
Nice that takes in Sicily, the Aeolian Islands, the Amalfi
Coast, Ponza and Corsica. It also includes two nights’
post-cruise accommodation at the Fairmont Monte Carlo.
Also new in 2007 is a Mediterranean voyage from Monte Carlo
to Athens aboard Seven Seas Navigator that visits Rome,
Capri, Sicily, Ephesus and Santorini. There is a two-night
pre-cruise stopover at the Fairmont Monte Carlo and a
two-night post-cruise stay at the Hilton Athens.
New Orleans to open riverfront to development
An agreement that paves the way for public use and
visitor-friendly development of waterfront areas in New
Orleans will be signed today between the city and the Port
of New Orleans.
The Riverfront Redevelopment Plan will open four miles of
port-controlled riverfront, from Jackson Avenue to the
Industrial Canal, to non-maritime use by the city. The goal
is to transform port areas once set aside for industrial
purposes into areas of public access, recreation and retail.
‘We want to create one of the best riverfronts in the world
so that it will be a separate tourist destination — another
compelling reason to visit New Orleans,’ said Sean Cummings,
executive director of the New Orleans Building Corp.
Under the agreement the city will share 25% of lease
proceeds with the port, and control of the property goes to
one entity so developers can negotiate with a single party.
The agreement further provides for comprehensive planning
and development, with green spaces and pedestrian paths
throughout.
Potential projects could be visitor-friendly parks, hotels,
a riverfront amphitheater and shops that could add to New
Orleans’ appeal for cruise visitors.
Return to top
British Virgin Islands ban smoking -
concerns about effect on tourism.
Tourists will soon have to watch where they
light up in the BVI. as the legislative Council recently
unanimously approved a ban on smoking despite concerns about
the effects on tourism in the islands where visitors are
known to smoke more than locals. The new measure which give
smokers a 6 month grace period will soon be signed into law.
Smoking will not be allowed in enclosed public spaces
including bars and restaurants, or within 50 ft of a door or
window to such spaces.
Crystal to deploy both of its ships to
take in Dubai
For the first time, Crystal Cruises will deploy both of its
ships on itineraries featuring Dubai, which the line calls
‘one of the world’s hottest travel destinations.’
Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony in 2007 will offer a
total of four cruises that begin or end in the trendy
emirate. That’s a doubling of departures since 2006, ‘and
interest in the region still surpasses our expectations,’
said Bill Smith, Crystal’s svp sales and marketing.
Crystal Serenity will sail a 17-day Cape Town to Dubai
passage on March 3, followed by an 18-day Dubai to Istanbul
route. Crystal Symphony will cruise from Singapore to Dubai
in 16 days, departing May 1, followed by a 14-day cruise
from Dubai to Civitavecchia.
Pre- and post-cruise hotel stays are available
Costa charts huge growth in S. America
Costa Crociere plans another big capacity increase in
South America during the 2007/08 austral summer season with
the deployment of Costa Magica and Costa Victoria from
Santos, Brazil.
In the four seasons from 2003/04 to 2007/08, Costa's
capacity in South America will shoot up more than 150%. This
season’s 20% capacity increase is driven by Costa Fortuna,
the first post-Panamax ship to offer regular departures from
Brazil. A second Santos-based ship, Costa Romantica, can
carry nearly 1,700 passengers. In 2007/08, capacity growth
will be 17%, with the deployment of Costa Magica (Fortuna’s
sister) and Costa Victoria, which carries nearly 2,400
passengers.
Inside the Industry
Princess Cruises have
announced a dual naming ceremony
The new
3,100-passenger EMERALD PRINCESS and 1998-built,
710-passenger 30,277-gt ROYAL PRINCESS (ex R EIGHT, MINERVA
II) will rendezvous off Santorini, Greece on May 12, 2007.
Both ships will be sailing in Europe on a series of
Mediterranean itineraries. The 116,000 gt EMERALD PRINCESS
will be delivered by Fincantieri, Italy in early 2007
Return to top
Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd. and Pullmantur partnership begins
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has completed its purchase of
Madrid-based cruise and tour operator Pullmantur S.A. with
closing documents being signed in Madrid today. In August,
RCCL signed an agreement with Pullmantur's shareholders to
buy all the company's capital stock and in October the
company received regulatory approval for the acquisition.
Celebrity Cruises (owned by RCCL) and Pullmantur announced a
ship swap: Pullmantur's 2000-built BLUE DREAM (ex R SIX,
BLUE STAR) will go to the Expeditions fleet and will be
renamed CELEBRITY JOURNEY, while the 1992-built ZENITH will
go to Pullmantur. CELEBRITY JOURNEY will be drydocked and
refitted with specialty restaurants and begin sailing
Bermuda itineraries from Bayonne, NJ starting May 5, 2007.
ZENITH will commence Pullmantur sailings in June, 2007 after
a drydocking, adding balcony cabins and enlarged public
spaces. The ZENITH will sail seven-night Mediterranean
cruises between Athens and Venice.
Pamela Conover
has been named
president and chief executive officer of Seabourn Cruise Line.
Following the untimely death of Debbie
Natansohn, Carnival Corp announced that Pamela Conover
has been named
president and chief executive officer of Seabourn Cruise Line.
In a shuffle at
Windstar Cruises Charter & Incentive dept. Claudia Sayles has
been let go.
Popular Claudia Sayles was let go in an
internal realignment of Windstar/HAL's incentive and
charter department. At this time no decision has been made
in regards to replacing her.
Ponant Cruise have
a change of course and close their new USA Office in Miami
Le Compagne des Isles
du Ponant (the parent company of Ponant Cruises -
United States arm) recently announced their intention to
close their new US Office immediately and concentrate sales
& marketing out of their Paris office. In consequence Doug Reimuth
who headed up the operation in the US was let go. Worldwide will still be selling the companies
three ships here in the US to the Corporate market - Le
Levant is a 90 passenger motor yacht style cruise ship.
Le Ponant is a 64 passenger modern sailing ship and Le
Diamant (ex-song of Flower) is a 250 passenger cruise ship.
Windstar names Marnie Whipple as Int’l
Sales Manager
Marnie Whipple joined Windstar Cruises as
Manager of International Sales and Key Accounts, reporting
to Diane Moore, vp Marketing and Sales. Whipple most
recently worked as international sales manager for Gray Line
of Alaska where she managed top-producing domestic travel
agencies and international tour operators. She started her
career at Holland America Line in 1996 in reservations and
worked her way up through the sales department before
leaving in 2000.
News from Worldwide
Return to top
Please note & change our fax number - now
+1 954 252 3945
Friday saw some technical problems in our
offices when several of our telephone/fax lines where
damaged. In view of this and to keep in-touch with our
clients we changed our incoming fax number to +1 954 252
3945. Please do note this and change it in your
system.
A number of our key
personnel will be traveling over the next 2 weeks.
Between the EIBTM show
in Barcelona, Spain and a charter sight inspection, as well
as the SITE International Conference, our people will be in
and out of our office a lot over the next 2 weeks.
Worldwide is technically well set up for situations such as
this and in most cases our staff will be able to respond to
your emails as and when they are able. Should you need
to speak with someone, I would suggest calling them on their
mobile number, or, leave a message on their voice mail and
they will respond to you as soon as possible. Our office
will still be manned but short handed. We apologies if this
causes any inconvenience. Mobile numbers are listed on our
web-site.
Return to top
For more
information on any of OUR ASSOCIATES go to our website or,
email us.
