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Istanbul considers revamping docks to boost cruise tourism |
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Maritime authorities are planning to prepare three
Istanbul wharfs to dock cruise ships in a bid to boost this form of
tourism in the city. Turkey stands fourth in Mediterranean cruise
ship tourism, coming in after Spain, Italy and Greece. However, the
number of cruise ships stopping in Istanbul has risen 15 to 20
percent annually for the past five years. According to "Today's Zaman", tourism operators in the city say cruises have brought 1 million tourists to Istanbul since 2006, but a lack of sufficient facilities for cruise ships is a restraint on this area of potential tourism growth. New docks must be built immediately to solve this problem, they say. Presently, the docks at Sal pazar and Karakoy are used for cruise ships, and officials from the Turkish Maritime Enterprises Corp. say they are considering devoting the docks at Kurucesme, Haydarpasa and Sarayburnu to cruise ships as well. "Out of these three [potential new docks] Sarayburnu is the most appropriate. We're aiming to [prepare the conversion of the dock] in time for the start of the new [cruise] season in May. Istanbul needs seven to eight more such docks," an official said. More than 1,000 cruise ships stop at Kusadasi and Istanbul every year. In 2005, the 227 cruise ships stopping in Istanbul brought along 231,000 tourists, and these numbers reached 340 ships and 432,000 tourists by 2007. Istanbul Culture and Tourism Regional Director A. Emre Bilgili says that tourists traveling by boat exchange more money and account for 12 percent of all tourists to Turkey. |
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Seattle's new cruise passenger terminal to open at Smith Cove |
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Port of Seattle Commissioners voted this
week to name Seattle's new cruise facility on Pier 91
Smith Cove Cruise Terminal. The two-story, 143,000
square foot facility has expansive views of Puget Sound,
Mt Rainier and the Olympic Mountains. Its north end
location, in historic Smith Cove puts cruise passengers
just 10 minutes away from the city's retail core and
famous Space Needle. The new terminal opens April 24, 2009 when Holland America Line's ms Amsterdam sails into Puget Sound signaling the beginning of the 2009 cruise season. The new terminal provides two, 1200 foot berths both equipped with shore power facilities which eliminates the need for vessels to run their diesel engines while at dock creating a significant savings in fuel costs, plus the environmental benefit of no air emissions. The new terminal will serve as homeport for Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. This new facility includes a mechanized passenger gangway systems providing comfortable passenger access from the second floor ticketing level, along with crew services. Guests will enjoy on-board airline check-in; 1000 secure parking spaces with complementary shuttle service to the terminal; a cell phone lot for convenient passenger pick-up; and a concierge offering: rental car service, luggage storage before and after cruises, plus reservations for local attractions, restaurants and hotels. Seattle continues to offer convenience and value to cruise passengers with two downtown cruise terminals, and convenient air travel connections at nearby Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It is estimated that 211 cruise ships will dock in Seattle this year offering 7-day and 14-day Alaska itineraries, plus 3 and 4-day cruises to beautiful British Columbia. The cruise industry has a major impact on the local economy. In 2008, its annual business revenue totaled $274 million, producing 2,380 jobs and $8 million in annual state and local taxes. It is estimated that each time a homeport cruise ship docks in Seattle, the activity related to the call contributes about $1.7 million in area commerce. In 2008, Seattle hosted 210 vessels and a record-setting 886,039 passengers which moved Seattle to the top spot for Alaska cruises. The Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 will continue to serve Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line. |
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Windstar will return to the Canary Islands in November |
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Windstar Cruises will operate two new
seven-day sailings to the Canary Islands in November on
Wind Spirit, marking a return to the islands after more
than 10 years. Wind Spirit departs Lisbon, Portugal, on
Nov. 14 and visits Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco, as
well as Lanzarote, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife
in the Canary Islands.
On the Nov. 21 sailing, Wind Spirit will depart Santa Cruz de Tenerife and cruise to Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Agadir and Casablanca before arriving in Lisbon. Cruise rates start at $1,999 per person, double occupancy. A variety of optional shore excursions will also be available including a Moroccan dinner with belly dancing in Casablanca, a sightseeing trip to Marrakech, a camel trek in Agadir, hiking and cave exploring in Las Palmas and volcanic crater expeditions and wine tasting in Lanzarote. These excursions will be available for advance purchase. |
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Seabourn new
itineraries for 2010/11 include 44 New Ports, Year-Round Asia
Presence
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The Yachts of Seabourn announced new itineraries for
2010-2011 when two more vessels will be part of its fleet.
The addition of Seabourn Odyssey this June and Seabourn Sojourn in June 2010 allows Seabourn to explore more exotic ports of call, such as Palopo on Sulawesi; Zanzibar, Tanzania; and Antseranana, Madagascar. Starting in 2010-2011, Seabourn will operate year-round in Asia, a first for the fleet. New Asian ports of call include Dalian, China;
Busan and Inchon, Korea; Nagasaki and Kagoshima, Japan; and numerous
Indonesian destinations, including Bali, Borneo, Komodo Island and
the Karimoenjawa archipelago. “One of the many benefits of our
newbuilding program is the ability to add exotic, new itineraries in
2010 and 2011,” said Pamela Conover, president and CEO of Seabourn.
“We are very excited about them and we think our guests will be too.
We have never before offered such a wide range of destinations, from
small-ship exclusives in the Caribbean and Mediterranean to more
remote ports in Asia and Africa.” Seabourn Pride will sail a China journey
from Hong Kong to Xingang, operating between the People’s Republic
and Taiwan for the first time. Seabourn Spirit offers “Java, Bali &
the Barrier Reef,” a winter cruise from Singapore to Darwin,
Australia, taking in the Borobudur UNESCO World Heritage site in
Semarang and frontier Cooktown, only recently connected to the rest
of Australia by a road. Other new offerings include a four-night Florence and Venice trip, including guided tours of each city, and a five-night Laos and Cambodia package, including a visit to UNESCO World Heritage Site Luang Prabang. Launching in Greenwich on June 6, 2010, the Seabourn Sojourn’s first season includes a 14-day maiden voyage from Greenwich to Dover and a 14-day Baltic roundtrip from Dover. In 2011, the Seabourn Sojourn embarks on a 110-day World Cruise from Los Angeles to London via the South Pacific, New Zealand, around Western Australia, Indonesia and Southeast Asia, India, Arabia and the Mediterranean. |
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Holland America Line offer unique South Pacific Itineraries |
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In 2010, Holland America Line will feature new itineraries throughout the Southern Hemisphere aboard the Volendam including, for the first time, a circumnavigation of Australia departing Sydney. The 34-day sailing
will spend two days cruising the Great Barrier Reef during daylight
hours and visit 18 ports of call. In addition, a new series of
14-day Sydney roundtrip cruises offer explorations focused on the
cultures and the raw magnificence of Australia's and New Zealand's
diverse landscapes. |
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Viking River Cruises has introduced the new 13-day “Yangtze Explorer” itinerary |
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Viking River Cruises has introduced the new 13-day “Yangtze Explorer,” which includes an 11-day cruise and a pre- and post-cruise overnight in Shanghai. The Viking Century Sun cruises between Chongqing and Nanjing, visiting Chongqing, China’s third-largest city; the Three Gorges and the Lesser Gorges; the Three Gorges Dam; Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province; Jingdezhen, where porcelain was first developed centuries ago; Mt. Jiu Hua, one of four mountains sacred to the Buddhist faith; the gardens at Suzhou; and more, including a visit to a Viking-sponsored elementary school along the river. Every cabin on the 300-guest Viking Century Sun has hotel-style beds balconies. It has made-to-order cooking stations at the breakfast buffet and Chinese dishes designed by celebrity chef Martin Yan. Guests are accompanied by a tour escort throughout their journey |
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NCL to Seasonally Homeport a Ship in Port Canaveral in 2010/11 |
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NCL announced that for the first time in more than 11 years, it
will homeport a ship seasonally at Port Canaveral, beginning October 2010. The
1,936-passenger Norwegian Sun will sail alternating seven-day Eastern and
Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, departing every Saturday from
Oct. 9, 2010 through April 16, 2011.
"As part of our homeland cruising initiative, we are always
looking for attractive ports in which to base our ships," said Kevin Sheehan,
NCL's president and CEO. "By bringing Norwegian Sun to Port Canaveral, we are
offering cruisers in Central Florida and to those vacationing in Orlando quick
and easy access to Freestyle Cruising. In addition, Port Canaveral offers our
guests a wide range of pre- and post-cruise packages with the ability to visit a
number of family attractions." |
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