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NCL charts October return to New Orleans
Norwegian Cruise Line and the Port of New Orleans have announced that
NCL will be the first major cruise line to homeport in New Orleans
since Hurricane Katrina.
Norwegian Sun returns on Oct. 15 for seven-day Western
Caribbean cruises. The program will operate through April 8, 2007,
with calls at Costa Maya, Cozumel, Belize City and Santo Tomas De
Castilla, Guatemala.
Goldstein: Media frenzy not hurting bookings
Sensationalized media coverage of missing honeymooner George Smith
has not hurt bookings, according to Royal Caribbean International
president Adam Goldstein.
‘We haven’t seen any meaningful impact on the
business,’ Goldstein said in response to an analyst’s
question during today’s earning call. He added that travel agent
partners have not reported any effect.
‘Clearly the media frenzy isn’t helpful to anyone, in any
way,’ Goldstein noted. He told analysts: ‘We will continue
to set the media record straight.’
The Royal Caribbean president said employees acted properly in their
handling of the incident, and he is proud of the company’s
efforts to help the FBI in its on-going investigation of the case.
Carnival names 112,000gt newbuild
Carnival Splendor is the name chosen for Carnival Cruise
Lines’ 112,000gt newbuild that will enter service in Spring
2008. Representing a new class of ship for the line, the
3,006-passenger vessel will be constructed by Fincantieri.
Highlights include a 17,800-square-foot spa – the largest ever
incorporated into a Carnival ship. Encompassing two forward decks,
the facility will feature a thermal suite, a variety of health and
beauty treatment rooms and Carnival’s first thalasso therapy
pool. Encircling the upper level of the spa will be a winter garden
that will include a ceremonial tea house.
A 5,500-square-foot children’s playroom – the largest in
the Carnival fleet – will be located mid-ship. Above the
facility will be a new water play area – a first for the line.
Located aft will be a new sports deck featuring arena-style seating
for games and other events, while a reservations-only supper club
will be located atop the poolside Lido restaurant.
The mid-ship pool – one of four on board – will be enclosed
by two full decks of glass walls. The area will be covered with a
two-deck-high retractable dome. A large balcony will encircle the
upper deck of the pool area.
The vessel will include 1,503 cabins, 60% of which will offer an
ocean view with 60% of those featuring balconies.
Live from Norwegian Jewel ...
ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ will broadcast live from Norwegian
Jewel Feb. 6-10 as winners of a ‘Girls’ Week Out’
contest take their prize Caribbean cruise.
Costa's debut in Asia a success
Costa chief Pier Luigi Foschi proclaimed the line's first foray into
the Asia cruise market as a success, with all the itineraries (two
regional plus two positioning cruises) on Costa Allegra sold out.
Utilizing one of the oldest and smallest ships in its fleet, Costa Allegra,
the line is offering two 13-day cruises between Hong Kong and
Mumbai. Departure of the first cruise from Hong Kong is scheduled at
the end of May, with the 28,430gt vessel built in 1992 calling in
Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Andaman Islands, Sri
Lanka, Goa and finishing in Mumbai. The vessel will sail a return leg
on June 13.
Seabourn to offer Condé Nast ‘insider tips’
In a new partnership, Condé Nast Traveler will provide
Seabourn Cruise Line guests with information on ‘what's new,
what's hot and what's hip’ in various ports of call, gathered
from the pages of the magazine.
The free service will be introduced in April when Seabourn’s
three ships begin their European season. Produced in the form of
flyers, ‘Condé Nast Traveler's Seabourn Insider Tips’
will offer such information as recommended attractions, suggested
lunch spots, popular bars, unique experiences and shopping tips.
Noordam handover brings change of Vista
The 82,000gt Noordam was handed over to Holland America Line
by Fincantieri's Marghera yard on Saturday, in the presence of
Carnival Corp. chairman and CEO Micky Arison and HAL president and
CEO Stein Kruse.
The last of a series of four Vista-class ships, Noordam has a maximum
capacity of 2,400 passengers and 800 crew, and a cruising speed of 22
knots. Compared to other vessels in the class there are 35 extra
cabins and certain interior modifications.
The interior changes reflect HAL's 'Signature of Excellence' program,
says Fincantieri, and therefore to an extent preview characteristics
of the new 86,000gt Signature class, the prototype for which is due
to be completed at Marghera in summer 2008.
Noordam takes Fincantieri's tally of ships completed for the Carnival
Group in the past 15 years to 34, with a further 14 units (including
two options) to be built before 2010. Fincantieri says this brings
its revenues from Carnival to $20bn and its share of the world cruise
orderbook to 52%.
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