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Royal Caribbean Takes Delivery of Independence of the Seas |
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Royal Caribbean International
recently took delivery of its newest ship -the 160,000-ton, 3,634-passenger
Independence of the Seas during a ceremony at Aker
Yards in Turku, Finland. Independence of the Seas, the third of the
line’s Freedom class of ships, will be the largest cruise ship ever
to be home ported in Europe. The vessel will operate from Southampton, U.K., during its inaugural season. Independence shares the title of world’s largest cruise ship with sister ships Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, which launched in the U.S. in the past two years and now offer Caribbean cruises from Miami. Following a series of preview sailings from Oslo, Norway, and Southampton, Independence will embark on its maiden voyage on May 2. Through the summer, it will sail 14-night “Mediterranean Treasures” and “Italian Mediterranean” itineraries. Ports of call include Gibraltar, Barcelona, Malaga, Vigo and Seville, Spain; Nice and Cannes, France; Florence/Pisa and Sardinia, Italy; and Lisbon, Portugal. The ship will operate two four-night getaways from Southampton to Cork, Ireland, and St. Peter Port, Channel Islands. Three 11-night Canary Islands itineraries, also roundtrip from Southampton, will close the fall season, calling on Madeira, Portugal; Tenerife, Las Palmas and Lanzarote, Canary Islands; and Vigo, Spain. Independence then heads to the U.S. to begin a series of Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale starting in November. Independence of the Seas will feature the trademarks of the Freedom-class ships, including the FlowRider surf simulator, the H20 Zone water park, cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 feet above the ocean in the adults-only Solarium, a full-size boxing ring, and a 14-person family suite. Unlike its sister ships, all pools and the water park on Independence will be heated. |
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NCL to Plead Guilty to Negligence in Boiler Explosion |
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Norwegian Cruise Line will plead guilty to a criminal
charge of grossly negligent operation of a ship in connection with
the May 2003 boiler explosion on the Norway that killed eight crew
members and injured 10. NCL will pay a fine of an undisclosed
amount, according to media reports. The agreement was announced
Friday by the U.S. Attorney's Office of Southern Florida. The Norway
explosion occurred on May 25, 2003, at the Port of Miami. The
National Transportation Safety Board determined last October that
the probable cause of the explosion was "deficient boiler operation,
maintenance and inspection practices of Norwegian Cruise Line, which
allowed material deterioration and fatigue cracking to weaken the
boiler. Inadequate boiler surveys by Bureau Veritas contributed to
the cause of the accident." "The safety and security of our passengers and crew has been and always will be of the utmost importance," NCL said in a statement. "For the past five years, the company has cooperated fully with government investigation into this matter, and we continue to do so. We are hopeful that resolution of the recent misdemeanor charge will bring this unfortunate incident to a conclusion." The company said it now has "the youngest fleet in the industry with no high-pressure steam boilers on any ship." The Norway, built in 1960 as the France, is no longer in service, and reportedly is in Alang, India, to be scrapped. |
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Two Princess Ships to be Remodeled with Line's Latest Signature Features |
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Star Princess and Caribbean Princess
to Add Popular Amenities Including Atrium "Piazza"
with International Cafe, Crown Grill and Adults Only
Sanctuary The two Princess ships will be remodeled to incorporate a number of the most popular amenities that have become passenger favorites on the line's newer ships. The upcoming makeovers of Star Princess and Caribbean Princess will include a transformation of the Deck 5 atrium into the inviting piazza-style street cafe currently found on Crown Princess and Emerald Princess; plus will add the company's signature adults-only Sanctuary and showplace Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant, along with a more centrally located casino and seven new suites. Star Princess will receive these new features during her September drydock in San Francisco and Caribbean Princess will follow in January 2009. The ships' updated atriums will not only feature the specialty coffees, freshly baked goods, paninis and tapas of the International Cafe, but will also introduce an expanded Vines wine bar concept, which will now include rare vintage wines, a selection of artisan meats and cheeses, plus a wine shop where passengers can purchase their favorite bottle. In addition, passengers will be able to relax in the tranquility of The Sanctuary, Princess' signature adults-only retreat, featuring plush padded lounge chairs and the services of dedicated Serenity Stewards. The ships will also replace their current steakhouse with the Crown Grill restaurant featuring an open show kitchen where passengers can enjoy watching as chefs prepare chops, steaks and seafood, including live lobsters. As part of the renovation, each vessel will also receive seven new suites with ocean-view picture windows, and the casino will be relocated one deck higher to deck 7, bringing it into the ship's central entertainment area. "After Crown Princess and Emerald Princess debuted, we knew we had struck a chord with our passengers who loved the piazza-style atriums, new dining experiences and the peaceful environment of The Sanctuary," said Jan Swartz, Princess senior vice president. "And so we're delighted to bring these hallmark features to two of the other vessels." To make room for the new features, passengers may find that some of their favorite areas have been relocated. In addition to the casino, the sports court, Internet Cafe and wedding chapel are also among the spaces that will be moved in the renovation process. The new features passengers will find aboard these vessels include: The Piazza - This piazza-style atrium has been a popular area on the new ships, with its sidewalk cafe feel and casual dining options. The ships will offer this lively area on Deck 5, designed to be the bustling hub of the ship with a street cafe atmosphere, featuring live music and entertainers throughout the day and evening. With Italian-inspired decor, this charming area serves as an inviting venue throughout the day for passengers seeking a more casual dining option. Within this space, passengers can relax over coffee and pastries at the International Cafe or a glass of wine at Vines, or keep in touch with home at the Internet Cafe. Vines - The expanded Vines concept features a wine bar serving a selection of rare and unique new- and old-world vintage wines along with gourmet delicacies. Here passengers can enjoy an assortment of fine wines by the glass, wine flights, a wine shop and a walk-in glass artisan cheese and cured meat humidor. Designed to resemble a wine cellar, the venue hosts unique wine tasting sessions, while the chef makes special appearances to pair selections with some of the world's most desirable artisan cheeses. Food-lovers can also sample a daily selection of sushi, sashimi, antipasti or ceviche. A signature feature in Vines, wine lovers will have the opportunity to sample a Swiss specialty, Raclette, a traditional melted cheese dish. The Vines shop offers an extensive collection of hard-to-find wines available for purchase, as well as Princess-branded favorites such as extra virgin olive oil, aged Italian balsamic vinegar and a selection of related gift items. International Cafe - Serving up a variety of tasty options throughout the day, the International Cafe features an ever-changing array of quick bites and light meal choices. In the morning, passengers will be attracted by the aroma of freshly baked croissants, Danish pastries and beignets; while in the afternoon the Cafe serves grilled-to-order paninis, quiches and salads. At dinnertime passengers can stop by for tapas or dessert - including the popular chocolate fondue. Throughout the day, the cafe features the line's famous fresh-baked cookies, and coffee lovers can also select from a variety of specialty coffee drinks and Revolution teas. The Sanctuary - The adults-only "pocket of tranquility" that has been so popular on Crown Princess and Emerald Princess, will be added to the uppermost forward deck of the ship, which currently houses the ships' sports court. The Sanctuary offers a relaxing alternative to the myriad activities available throughout the ship. Solitude seekers will be able to escape completely to this plush, outdoor spa-inspired setting with refreshing beverages and healthy fare, massages, relaxing personal entertainment and attentive service from the area's Serenity Stewards. Crown Grill - The ships will trade their Sterling Steakhouse restaurants for a Crown Grill premium seafood and chop house concept as found on Crown Princess and Emerald Princess. This showplace restaurant entertains passengers with an open, theater-style kitchen where chefs custom-prepare steamed shellfish - such as lobster, scallops, clams and mussels - and cooked-to-order steaks and chops. Passengers can choose to sit at the kitchen's eat-up counter and watch the show as they dine. Suites - Seven new oceanview suites will be added on deck six, offering additional options for passengers who enjoy the luxury and amenities that come with Princess' most spacious accommodations. |
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Star Cruises has confirmed that it has sold the two
NCL operated vessels Norwegian Dream and Norwegian Majesty to
Cyprus’ Louis Group for US $218m and $162 m respectively. Both
vessels will be chartered back to NCL to complete their announced
scheduled itineraries in November 2008 for the 1,747 passenger
capacity Norwegian Dream and December 2009 for the 1,462 passenger
capacity Norwegian Majesty. The fate of Pride of Aloha has yet to be
decided. ‘The sale of the two ships will improve on the Star Group’s capital structure following on the completion of Apollo’s investment in Norwegian Cruise Line in January 2008. It is expected that there will be net savings in interest expenses and the additional cash flow will provide opportunities arising in Asia for Star Cruises like our hotel and casino project in the Philippines,’ said David Chua, President of Star Cruises. ‘This transaction will also speed up the optimization plan for the upgrade of our existing fleet in Asia and the international fleet in America and Europe so as to realize our mission and promise for delivering the best quality cruising experience to our cruisers by continuously upgrading our hardware and software. In fact, we have two new ships currently under construction and will deliver 10,800 more lower berths by completion in 2010. Star Cruises will continue our investment in NCL and explore opportunities for our international fleet,’ added Mr. Chua. |
| Press reports announced that Ambassadors International, Inc. plans to sell Majestic America Line, the North American river and coastal cruising company, after the 2008 season. A number of potential buyers have expressed interest. Majestic America Line operates DELTA QUEEN, AMERICAN QUEEN, EMPRESS OF THE NORTH, QUEEN OF THE WEST and COLUMBIA QUEEN. Ambassadors International also owns Windstar Cruises and is a global provider of construction and consulting services to marina owners headquartered in Newport Beach, California. |
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AIDA Cruises take delivery of their new ship - AIDABELLA |
| the newest addition to the AIDA Cruises fleet -- AIDABELLA -- was officially named by international model Eva Padberg in Rostock-Warnemuende , Germany and was attended by 1,400 guests, including people from politics, economy and show business, with music played by Berlin's Symphony Orchestra. AIDAELLA is the second of six new AIDA new cruise ships to be built at Meyer ship yard in Papenburg up until 2012. Following the ceremony, AIDABELLA cast off for an over night Baltic cruise, Today, April 24 AIDABELLA began her maiden voyage to Bergen, Oslo, Goeteborg and Copenhagen and will remain the Baltic. for the summer sailing to the Canary Isles in winter |
| An attempt to save the historic steamboat DELTA QUEEN was narrowly defeated on April 24, 2008, in the U.S. House Of Representatives. Representative Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, had attached an amendment to the Coast Guard Authorization Act which would have granted a 10-year exemption from the Safety Of Life At Sea Act, which bans overnight passenger cruises on vessels with wooden superstructures. The legislation was defeated 208-195. Exemptions have been routinely granted over the past 40 years. Without the exemption, the DELTA QUEEN will be forced out of service on November 1, 2008. "I am deeply disappointed that the House has turned it's back on an important part of our history," Chabot said. The DELTA QUEEN entered service in 1927 and is the last authentic survivor of the overnight passenger steamboat era in America. |