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Celebrity Unveils Solstice-Class Dining Venues
Celebrity Cruises has unveiled the designs and menus for the 10 new
Solstice-class restaurants at the Per Se restaurant in New York.
The three Michelin star venue was chosen because it was designed by
Adam Tihany, who Celebrity commissioned to design the Solstice's
dramatic, two-level Grand Epernay dining room; the classic
steakhouse, "Tuscan Grille," and the casual "Oceanview
Café and Grill" on the ship's Lido deck.
The dining venues on the Solstice "will knock your socks
off," said Elizabeth Blau, founder of Celebrity's cuisine
consultant Blau & Associates.
She said that Celebrity is investing in the design of the Solstice
venues to provide the right forums for guests' enjoyment of the
cuisine onboard this new class of ships. The inauguration of the
first, Celebrity Solstice, is scheduled for December.
"The Solstice dining venues will be unlike anything else in the
cruise industry," Blau said, adding that every menu has been
designed from scratch by Blau & Associates working with Celebrity
vice president of Food & Beverage Jacques Van Stade.
Blau, whose firm developed restaurants at the Bellagio and Wynn
Resort and Casino, and is developing the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino's
Simon kitchen + bar in Las Vegas, has been working with Celebrity
developing menus for its present fleet and the culinary experience on
the Azamara ships.
However, she said, the Solstice-class will be the "piece de resistance."
Florida AG Reviews Fuel Surcharge Complaints
Florida newspapers are reporting today that the state's attorney
general is reviewing whether cruise lines, including Carnival Corp.
and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., adequately disclosed surcharges
that they started billing passengers this month to offset rising fuel prices.
According to reports, Attorney General Bill McCollum has received 150
complaints from customers regarding the fuel surcharge. The charge,
announced in November by both companies, went into effect beginning
Feb. 1.
"We are reviewing complaints about whether cruise lines can
retroactively impose a fuel supplement/fuel surcharge to
passengers," a spokesperson for the attorney general said,
adding that the primary concern is "the adequate disclosure of
surcharges and whether or not consumers are aware of surcharges up
front at the point of sale."
Top cruises named in new survey
Twelve-day Mediterranean, seven-day Alaska and five-day Western
Caribbean cruises emerged as the top long, mid and short itineraries
this year according to a survey of active cruise travel agents.
Europe bookings are up 42% year-over-year and CLIA stated recently
that the Mediterranean is one of the three fastest growing segments
in the cruise industry.
The most popular Caribbean islands/port of calls are, in order, St.
Thomas, Grand Cayman, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Cozumel, and Aruba and
Jamaica tied for fifth place.
The most popular Mediterranean ports are Rome, Venice, Barcelona,
Santorini, and Athens and Istanbul tied for fifth.
The most popular non-Mediterranean Europe ports are St. Petersburg,
London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Dublin and Lisbon tied.
Agents growing popularity is no surprise
Rob Torres, Google's travel industry director, is not surprised that
many travelers are returning to travel agents.
"It doesn't surprise me because I think what is happening is
more people are looking for service again, especially for complicated
purchases. It's very tough to actually transact complicated travel
purchases online," Mr Torres said.
In an exclusive interview , Torres pointed out that all travel
agents, whether originally off-line or online, need to combine the
best of both worlds.
"It's not one or the other anymore. Five, six years ago everyone
thought it's the death of the brick-and-mortar agent, but I think
we've found that's not the case,"
Editors Note: Remember -- The Cruiseman
does not charge any service fees, which means we work for you for free!
Taiwan drops ban on Chinese arriving by ship
TAIPEI - Taiwan on Monday gave a red-carpet welcome to nearly 700
Chinese tourists who arrived on a foreign cruise liner, made possible
by Taipei’s dropping its ban on Chinese tourists arriving by
ship. Taiwan youth beat drums and gongs and performed a lion dance at
the Keeling Harbour, one hour’s drive east of Taipei, to welcome
the 659 Chinese tourists arriving on the Rhapsody of the Seas.
10 Million Cruise Passengers May Change Travel Plans With Fed Proposal
The Cruise Lines International Association warns that about 10
million cruise travelers and vacationers in the United States stand
to have their cruises re-scheduled or canceled unless a federal
proposal is lifted.
The federal proposal by the Homeland Security's customs and border
protection agency is a new interpretation of an old maritime law that
prevents any other line from offering Hawaii cruises. The change
intended for the Hawaii market, however, would have a nationwide
impact and give cruise lines less options.
An 1886 maritime law requires foreign registered ships to call on at
least to one foreign port for 48 hours if they stop at two U.S.
ports. For example, Hawaii-bound cruise ships coming from San Diego
or Los Angeles have to stop in Ensenada, Mexico, before heading west
across the Pacific.
Critics say the change stalls millions of dollars in revenues and
port improvements in the U.S., as more time in foreign ports would
mean less in the U.S. and fewer tourists to spend money in U.S. cities.
The American Association of Port Authorities said money spent on
cruise facilities would be put to waste if the federal government
changes the rules.
For another article on the same subject CLICK
HERE
For a related article concerning the impact of this regulation on the
East Coast CLICK
HERE
And how about short cruises to the Bahamas? CLICK
HERE to read how they would be affected.
Last U.S. ocean liner heads into the unknown
The historic ocean liner Independence, the last liner built in
the United States to sail under the American flag, was towed out of
its berth on the San Francisco waterfront Friday headed for an
unknown future.
It left the dock quietly and slowly in a thick fog, like a wraith,
like a ghost out of the past.
The Independence was a famous ship in its day, but that was long ago.
The liner made its maiden voyage from New York on a cruise to the
Mediterranean 57 years ago this month.
The old ship sailed under a new name: It has been called the Oceanic
since summer.
Its voyage is also a bit of a mystery. Norwegian Cruise Line, the
ship's last owner, sold it last year but refused this week to say who
the new owner is.
There was even a minor mystery about its destination. Earlier this
week, Leon Hall, of Inchcape Shipping Services, an agent representing
the ship, said the final port of call "had not been decided
yet." On Friday, however, the destination was listed as Singapore.
For the rest of this article about the historic Independence CLICK
HERE
‘Carnival Destiny’ will call through summer 2008
Minister of State for Tourism, Sports, and Culture Senator Ricky
Skerritt announced yesterday, at the welcoming plaque ceremony for
the Carnival Cruise Lines ship Carnival Destiny that the 3,050
passenger ship will be calling weekly at Port Zante, St. Kitts,
throughout the summer of 2008.
“This is the first ever cruise ship to be scheduled weekly into
St. Kitts through to September, and it is a huge step forward for
us,” Minister Skerritt said. “A summer ship from Carnival
will underpin income for our local service providers, keep more of
our citizens employed in this sector of our economy, and will help us
maintain the infrastructur |