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Cunard QM2 Commodore Warner Honored

Commodore Bernard Warner, master of Cunard's Queen Mary 2, was recently honored aboard the line's flagship in Newport, R.I., by members of the Block Island Maritime Institute, The New York Yacht Club, the Seamen's Church Institute (SCI), the Storm Trysail Club, International Yacht Restoration School, Museum of Yachting in Newport and American Yacht Club. Conceived by the Block Island Maritime Institute's primary fundraiser and Dave Aldrich, president of the Seamen's Church Institute, the event celebrated Warner's recent appointment to commodore of the Cunard fleet and his lifelong achievements at sea. Warner began his career aboard cargo ships and steadily climbed the ranks to be involved as captain in the construction of several new cruise ships and finally to helm the command of Cunard's flagship, the Queen Mary 2

Seabourn ships are getting make-overs
Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend are undergoing multimillion-dollar renovations during drydock maintenance periods scheduled between September and April.
Seabourn Cruise Line said the renovations are the most extensive since balconies were added to 36 of each ship’s suites five years ago.

‘As we prepare for the launch of Seabourn Odyssey, we are also investing in the future of our existing fleet,’ said Pamela Conover, Seabourn’s president and ceo.

Seabourn Pride just completed the process in Germany. Seabourn Spirit’s turn will be at Singapore in January, and Seabourn Legend’s at Lisbon in April.

The work includes major overhauls of two of the ships’ open-air alternative dining venues to increase seating capacities and add opportunities for entertainment ‘Under the Stars.’


The ships’ indoor/outdoor Veranda Café, located all the way aft overlooking the wake, is converted each evening into Restaurant 2, serving tasting menus and themed dinners in a casual setting. The renovation is enlarging the outdoor section, increasing seating capacity and adding an awning.

In another project, the twin staircases leading from the sun deck to the Sky Bar are being replaced with a single stairway to add more space. More versatile furniture is replacing the fixed cocktail-sized tables to clear deck space for occasional entertainment and dancing.

Further renovations include upgraded bedding in all suites, new carpets in many public areas, improvements to the treatment rooms in The Spa at Seabourn, and new furniture in the card rooms and internet centers.

Also, the ships’ livery is being updated, with the decorative line along the shear of the hull being changed from dark blue to black, and the shield emblem on the ships’ stacks highlighted in gold rather than blue.

Silversea Names Russell to Oversee Expedition Product
Silversea Cruises appointed Tom Russell as its new senior vice president of product development. He will join the company on Oct. 14 and will be based in the Fort Lauderdale office. His appointment follows the line's recent purchase of the expedition ship World Discoverer. While Russell will coordinate a variety of major projects and initiatives across departments, his primary focus will be to oversee the establishment of the new luxury expeditionary cruise product, having responsibility for its design, deployment and itinerary development.

Russell was a member of Silversea's founding executive team in 1992 and has also held various management positions with Sitmar, Princess, and Costa cruise lines. In 1996, he left Silversea and Florida to resettle in Seattle, where worked for such companies as Cruise West, Society Expeditions, Holland America Line/Windstar Cruises. Most recently, Russell served as senior vice president of sales and marketing for Uniworld Grand River Cruises. For more information, call 877-215-9986 or visit www.silversea.com.

Adam Snitzer to join Seabourn as VP Marketing
MIAMI, September 4, 2007----Seabourn Cruise Line has announced that Adam Snitzer will join the Miami-based ultra luxury cruise operator as vice president of marketing effective October 8, 2007. In that role, he will oversee the company’s marketing, revenue management and public relations activities. Snitzer has most recently been vice president of revenue management for Costa Cruises, based in Genoa, Italy.

Snitzer is well known to many of Seabourn’s executives and personnel, since he previously worked with Cunard Line during the time when that brand was merged with Seabourn. When Cunard moved to California, Seabourn’s current president and CEO Pamela Conover tapped Snitzer to join her in the Shared Services department at Carnival Corporation, where she was then senior vice president.

“Adam was a part of our Cunard team that launched Queen Mary 2,” noted Conover, “and he has been with Costa through a period of rapid expansion of its fleet, as well. So we are glad to have him on board as we prepare to add our two new ships.”

Seabourn has ordered two 32,000-GRT, 450-guest ultra luxury vessels, which are being built by T. Mariotti S.p.A in Italy. The first, to be named Seabourn Odyssey, is already under construction and will debut in June of 2009. A sister ship is scheduled to begin service a year later.

“I am gratified to be a part of Seabourn’s team at this important juncture in their history,” said Snitzer. “It’s exciting anytime a company builds a new ship,” he continued. “But in the case of Seabourn Odyssey, she will be the first ultra luxury cruise vessel to debut in over six years, and that makes it doubly exciting.”