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Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has taken possession of its fifth ship, Norwegian Crown
The ship was redelivered under the terms of its charter agreement by Star Cruises in New York on Monday November 5th.

The vessel, to be renamed Balmoral, will sail across the Atlantic to Blohm+Voss Repair for an extensive refit and refurbishment. It is expected to arrive in Hamburg in 10 days.

The major work to be done is the insertion of a 30mtr mid-section which has already been constructed and is now in Hamburg awaiting the ship. Public areas will be redesigned, and alterations in accommodations include the addition of balconies on several cabins and suites to bring Balmoral in line with the company’s other ships, Black Watch, Braemar and Boudicca.

Balmoral will sail from Dover on January 30 on her inaugural 14-night cruise to the Canary Islands.

Numerous cruise lines implement fuel surcharge

Regent Seven Seas Cruises started the trend with Carnival close on their heels now most of the other cruise line players are following suite. The most recent lines to implement the surcharge are Silversea's and Oceana.  Silversea's policy became effective today (11/14/2007) and is for all new 2008 bookings, a fee of $10 per person, per day, will be added. Reservations made prior to Nov. 14 are exempt from the surcharge.  Oceania Cruises fuel surcharge consists of a $7 per person, per day amount applies to new and existing reservations that are not paid in full by Dec. 1 and is effective for all published sailings through April 2009.

Maui judge holding keys to Hawaii Superferry
Once again, a Maui judge holds the keys to the Hawaii Superferry, whose operators had hoped to resume interisland voyages this week. Maui Judge Joseph Cardoza scheduled arguments in court today over a request to lift an order barring the new high-speed ferry from starting service.

Cardoza could decide immediately to clear the way for the Superferry to sail daily from Oahu to Maui and Kauai and back, or he could leave his order against the ferry in place despite a new law intended to nullify it. That would endanger the islands' first interisland car and passenger service, which owners have threatened to take elsewhere if it can't start up soon.

Cardoza ruled last month that the Superferry couldn't operate while the state conducted an environmental study, but then the state Legislature stepped in with a law quickly signed by Gov. Linda Lingle that allows the ferry, with restrictions, to resume service while an environmental assessment is completed.

After the law passed, Superferry executives said they wanted to be making trips by now. It's unclear how quickly it would set sail if Cardoza gives the $300 million project his go-ahead.

Hawaii Superferry officials won't comment on their plans until after the hearing, said Terry O'Halloran, director for business development for the Superferry. The Superferry's Web site, www.hawaiisuperferry.com, hasn't changed since the beginning of the month, when a message was posted saying it could resume service "within the next two weeks." There has been no announcement of when scores of laid-off employees will be rehired.

Environmental groups will ask Cardoza to keep the Superferry docked in Honolulu because it could cause "irreparable harm" to endangered whales, spread invasive species and clog traffic on the more rural islands, said Irene Bowie, executive director for Maui Tomorrow.

Bowie said limited conditions enacted by the Legislature don't go far enough. She wants more strict speed limits in shallow whale-populated waters and government vehicle inspections.

"The conditions as they are now aren't strong enough, and we're still hopeful the environment will be protected," Bowie said. "Judge Cardoza has been very fair. He has the best interest of the people and environment of Hawaii in mind."  Cardoza initially ruled in favor of the ferry in 2005, but then he stalled it last month after four weeks of testimony and a unanimous Hawaii Supreme Court decision requiring an environmental study.

Attorney Isaac Hall, who represents the three environmental groups who sued the Superferry in 2005, said he will argue that the new Hawaii Superferry law is unconstitutional and that Cardoza should hold more evidentiary hearings. "The conditions attached by the Legislature and the governor are not going to mitigate that harm," Hall said.

Even if Cardoza decides in the Superferry's favor, the company's troubles aren't over yet.

A separate court hearing before Circuit Judge Joel August is scheduled for Monday over his restriction on the ferry requiring that only two cars a minute be allowed to exit the ferry site on Maui.  Deputy Attorney General William Wynhoff has said that requirement would cause "big, big problems" because at that pace, it could take close to two hours just to unload up to 200 vehicles from the ferry.

Finally, if and when the ferry does start daily trips, it will have to deal with protesters who have pledged to block the boat by jumping in harbor waters like they did in their last successful protest off Kauai on Aug. 27. Eventually, the ferry had to return to Honolulu without docking.  The Coast Guard and police have said they'll be ready for protesters this time.

"It's not an easy situation. Everyone involved recognizes that," said Coast Guard spokesman Lt. John Titchen. "Our goal is to ensure everyone is safe first and foremost and ensure that everyone abides by the law. We will enforce the security zone as safely as we can."

Kauai protesters will be permitted in a demonstration area — on land, not in the water, he said. The Maui security zone currently extends 100 yards around the Superferry, but that may be expanded to all of Kahului Harbor before the boat starts service.

The 350-foot catamaran plans to cruise across the choppy Pacific waters between islands at 42 mph, carrying 800 passengers and their vehicles. Slower speeds are required in some areas where whales might be swimming.

A second ferry under construction in Mobile, Ala., is intended to serve the Big Island in 2009.

Sea Diamond sinking of off Santorini recently appears to have been due to erroneous charting of the area

Following reports that have appeared in the media claiming that the official nautical chart for the area of the accident, issued by the Hellenic Hydrographic Office, contained erroneous information, the owners and managers of the ‘SEA DIAMOND’ wish to report that they, along with the legal team defending the Master, did employ the services of a specialized hydrographic survey company, AKTI Engineering, to conduct a detailed survey of the area. AKTI Engineering is one of the most competent and reputable companies of its kind in Greece.

The results of this detailed hydrographic survey of the accident area have revealed that the reef, which the ‘SEA DIAMOND’ struck, is in fact lying at a distance of 130 meters from shore and not at a distance of 60 meters from shore as is incorrectly marked on the nautical chart. The official chart shows the depth of the water at the area of impact varying from eighteen to twenty-two metres, whilst the survey shows that it is only five metres. These findings demonstrate that, based on the official nautical chart used onboard, the vessel was on a safe course during the approach to her assigned mooring position in Santorini.

It is evident from the above findings that the cause of the accident was the erroneous mapping information contained in the nautical chart.

The Owners and Managers of m/v SEA DIAMOND wish to emphasize that the results of the detailed hydrographic survey fully justify their position to defend and support the Master’s qualifications, skills and experience against a large number of purported experts who have been engaged in a campaign attacking the experience and professional ability of the Master, the Greek crew and the reputation of the Hellenic merchant marine in general. The results also form the best possible answer to the orchestrated attacks aimed at damaging the good reputation of Louis Hellenic Cruises, its Directors and Managers.

The Owners and Managers of the ‘SEA DIAMOND’ have already submitted the results of this new scientific mapping survey to the Hellenic Hydrographic Office of the Hellenic Navy and the other responsible authorities, so that the maritime charts for Santorini can be updated to ensure that similar incidents do not occur again in the future.

Libya has reportedly refused entry to European tourists
Libya has reportedly refused entry to European tourists this week after an unannounced change in passport regulations. Several flights and at least one cruise ship were affected.
The BBC said Tripoli is now denying entry to visitors without an Arabic translation of their passports, even if they carry valid visas.

Passengers on P&O Cruises’ Artemis were not allowed to go ashore for excursions in Tripoli on Tuesday. A P&O spokeswoman said the change in passport regulations was implemented ‘without warning and had not been previously announced by the Libyan authorities.’ She said the 1,122 passengers on board were informed as soon possible.

P&O Cruises is refunding the price of excursions booked in Tripoli and costs incurred by passengers to obtain the relevant visa.

Artemis arrived in Malta this morning as scheduled.