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Holland America to debut spots targeted at baby boomers
Holland America Line will launch a multi-million dollar magazine
advertising campaign in 2007, which will first appear in the January
issue of Vanity Fair, the cruise line said, doubling the number of
publications running its ads and increasing frequency by 33% over 2006.
HAL said the campaign is meant to provoke target consumers to rethink
which cruise line best suits them for a vacation, and to communicate
that HAL's brand might not be what they think it is.
"Our new campaign is artfully unexpected and takes an emotional
approach to capture the attention of cruisers with vibrant, stunning
visuals. These are supported with our signature brand messages,"
said Richard Meadows, HAL executive vice president, marketing, sales
and guest programs, in a statement. "We are not changing our
brand; we are changing how we communicate about our brand to reach
the youthful mindset of baby boomers."
December a blessing for Port of New Orleans
The Port of New Orleans is experiencing its busiest month for cruise
ship calls in its history, the port said, less than two months after
its first home-ported cruise ship since Hurricane Katrina, Norwegian
Cruise Line's Norwegian Sun, began service again on Oct. 15.
Throughout December, the port said, it will host 23 cruise ship calls
by seven cruise ships. The vessels will be in port for 21 days of the
month, and will bring approximately 95,000 passengers through New Orleans.
"This is great news not only for the port, but for the city's
rebounding tourism industry," said Gary LaGrange, president and
CEO of the Port of New Orleans. "Cruise ship passengers
typically stay a day or two before or after their cruise, making New
Orleans an additional port of call for their itineraries."
Norovirus hits world's largest cruise ship
An illness suspected to be the gastrointestinal norovirus affected
338 passengers and 43 crew members sailing on Royal Caribbean’s
Freedom of the Seas, the largest ship in the world, on its most
recent itinerary.
Royal Caribbean said it suspected the illness was brought onboard
by a passenger with previous exposure to it, and that the sick
guests responded well to the over-the-counter medication administered onboard.
Staff from the Centers for Disease Control’s Vessel Sanitation
Program boarded the ship on Dec. 3 to conduct a targeted
environmental health investigation and an epidemiological review.
Royal Caribbean said that it implemented a three-stage
illness-prevention program with "specific, heightened sanitation
procedures for crew members, from the captain to housekeepers,"
and implemented enhanced cleaning procedures and protocols as
recommended by the CDC.
Also, Royal Caribbean said it was conducting a special cleaning of
all “high-touch” areas on the ship, including but not
limited to countertops, rest room and vanity surfaces, door handles,
railings, grab bars, exercise equipment, TV remote controls, light
switches, elevator buttons and computer keyboards.
Royal Caribbean will place two additional doctors and one additional
nurse on the Freedom of the Seas. There will be a total of four
doctors and four nurses onboard.
Seabourn to skip Libya next year
Seabourn Cruise Line said it canceled scheduled calls in Libya on the
Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend in 2007, due to Libya’s
refusal to permit entry to guests traveling with U.S. passports.
"We regret the need to change any itinerary," said Seabourn
President Pamela Conover. "But we have repeatedly petitioned the
Libyan authorities to allow all of our guests into their country, and
they have shown no indication that they will do so. Fortunately,
there are very attractive alternatives available, and we have added several."
The change will affect the itineraries of two cruises.
On the May 7, 12-day trip on the Seabourn Spirit from Alexandria,
Egypt, to Rome, instead of two days in Tripoli and one day in Derna,
Libya, the ship will go to Kusadasi, Turkey, and the Greek island of Mykonos.
The Oct. 27, 11-day voyage on the Seabourn Legend sailing between
Rome and Lisbon will substitute a two-day call at Tripoli with visits
to Naples, Palermo and Valletta, Malta.
Carnival promotes 2008 trans-Atlantics
Carnival Freedom in 2008 will offer two different trans-Atlantic
itineraries, a 14-day crossing departing Miami on April 26, and a
16-day voyage departing Civitavecchia on Nov. 6.
In the final stages of outfitting at Fincantieri’s Marghera
shipyard, the 110,000gt Carnival Freedom is due to debut in Europe on
March 5, and also will operate Carnival Cruise Lines’ European
schedule in 2008.
The April 2008 crossing will visit St. Maarten, Funchal (Madeira),
Malaga (Spain) and Livorno (Italy). The voyage will serve to position
Carnival Freedom for its previously announced 2008 Mediterranean
season operating May to October.
When the season ends, Carnival Freedom will sail to Fort Lauderdale
via a 16-day crossing from Civitavecchia that visits Spain’s
Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and Las Palmas, as well as St.
Maarten. The Las Palmas stop will serve as Carnival’s first
visit to the Canary Islands.
Bookings are open for the trans-Atlantics, and prices start at $699
for the 14-day eastbound trip and at $849 for the 16-day westbound journey.
RCI expands youth, family activities
Royal Caribbean International introduced new youth and family
programs through its partnerships with Fisher-Price and Lowe’s.
Children ages 3 to 8, accompanied by their parents, can drive on the
Fisher-Price Power Wheels Track at CocoCay, RCI’s private
Bahamian island. Youngsters can choose from the newest Power Wheels,
including the Jeep Hurricane, Ford Mustang, Cadillac Escalade Custom
Edition in black or Barbie pink versions, and the Barbie Beach Party
Jeep Wrangler.
Fisher-Price will also continue its infant and toddler programs fleetwide.
The ‘Build and Grow’ with Lowe’s program invites
parents and their kids, ages 5 to 11, to take part in building and
decorating a wooden cruise ship. Participants receive a cruise ship
kit, a Lowe’s apron, safety goggles, a certificate of completion
and merit patch. ‘Build and Grow’ is part of RCI’s
Adventure Ocean program.
Taking Their Show on the Road
One of the highlights of the cruise for most people on NCL America
ships in Hawaii is the overnight stay at Maui when they can book the
luau shore excursion. But all that's set to change in mid-February.
That's when the highlight will move to the night the ship spends at Kauai.
NCL America is taking a more active role in the production of the
excursion and has partnered with Kilohana Plantation, NH Productions
and Gaylord's Restaurant to create their own luau. Currently, the
Maui production is simply a shore excursion option purchased from the
Maui Prince Hotel thru the ship's shore excursion deck.
SS Norway Has at Least a Month Reprieve before Dismantling Can Begin
Dec 4 - India's supreme court delayed a decision today for at
least a month on whether the SS Norway can be broken apart in India.
Regent Seven Seas cancels Voyager's Dec. 11 journey
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has cancelled the Seven Seas Voyager’s
seven-night cruise which was scheduled to depart Dec. 11 from Fort
Lauderdale, the third cruise the line has cancelled in three weeks
since the discovery of damage to the ship’s motors during a
routine dry-dock in November.
The ship will resume its published schedule from Fort Lauderdale on
Dec. 18.
The spare parts needed to repair the engines did not arrive on
schedule, making it necessary to cancel the upcoming cruise, Regent said.
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